How to Find Shoulder Pain Relief When Working from Home

Working at home can be considered a bliss to a lot of people nowadays. The convenience it brings is undeniable; thus, more and more individuals are choosing to earn while working in the comfort of their homes. This grants them an opportunity to be with their loved ones more hours of the day and still establish a successful professional career. You might already hear about writers, web developers, customer support agents, and salespeople who are virtually dealing with their clients and customers. This sounds amazing since working at home is now becoming an effective and lucrative source of income and channel for career success. Nevertheless, it can also be a way to experience conditions such as pain in the shoulder. Long hours of typing, working on handicrafts, cooking, and other jobs can contribute to such pain. It will be a big help if we all know how to find shoulder pain when working from home.

The Perks of Working At Home

What are the advantages of working from home that make it a trending work style nowadays? Listed below are some of the benefits it can bring:

- No need to commute and beat the traffic

- You can have a personalized office space

- Create your own schedule

- Work anywhere in the house, as where you are comfortable

- More quality time spent on your family

- You can save more money

- You can eat healthily

- You can exercise more often

- You can have a sense of calmness because you’re with your loved ones

- You can avoid office politics and gossip

- You can become more productive

Other benefits can be gained from being a home-based worker as long as you will dedicate time, effort, passion, and discipline.

Common Issues When Working at Home

Working from home is a satisfying work style since you will only need the proper tools, skills, talents, and passion. However, similar to any other thing in the world, there can also be problems that you may encounter.

Some home-based workers complained that the more they stay at home, the less productive they can be. This is because they are often distracted by various factors in the house, such as noise, a child who wants to play with you, household chores, and invitations from friends. When you lack discipline, there arises the problem of procrastinating. Some workers tend to prioritize other things instead of completing their tasks first.

Working from home is also said to be a cause for some to have weight issues. This is because of the proximity of the pantry or kitchen at home. Some may be tempted to eat, thus, sometimes making them forget a healthy diet.

There are times when tasks and assignments can be overwhelming. You need to spend more time working to concentrate and complete the tasks as part of the company’s goals. Sometimes, it can be avoided to experience fatigue and pain in the shoulders, neck, back, arms, and other parts of the body. One of the most common experiences that are felt by home-based workers is shoulder pain. This may be due to prolonged hours of working, improper posture while working, or some other health conditions. Although this condition may require professional help, you can still be knowledgeable about how to find shoulder pain relief when working at home.

Finding the Relief for Shoulder Pain When Working at Home: Here’s How

WebMD summarizes on one of its articles why we experience shoulder pain:

“Pain in your shoulder can have many causes. You might injure it in a fall or accident, or you could have overdone a chore like painting. Sometimes shoulder pain comes from a condition like arthritis. It can even stem from problems in other parts of your body, which is called referred pain.”

In the same article, the common shoulder problems are also discussed, including dislocation, fracture, cartilage tear, some kinds of arthritis, and rotator cuff tears.

When you have shoulder pain, it is advised that you refer to a doctor when the following symptoms become evident.

- Swelling of the shoulder

- You can’t move or use your shoulder

- The shoulder joint appears to be deformed

- Intense pain

- Weakness and numbness of the hands and arms

Your doctor will then analyze if you need to undergo surgery, or you can just take some medications.

One of the common techniques to treat shoulder pain is to soothe the swelling or inflammation of the muscles. The following are some of the ways you can give relief to your shoulder pain. By doing these easy remedies at home, you can take care of yourself and work more comfortably and stay healthy. Most of these are also shared and approved by Healthline.com, a leading source of health articles and tips online.

#1 Cold compress

Cold compress is one effective way to lessen the swelling of the shoulder. Applying a cold compress can ease the pain by making the infected part numb. Put an ice pack for 20 minutes several times per day. You can use a frozen gel pack, which is usually available in stores. Some also advise that a bag of frozen peas can also be used. You will just need to wrap the cold pack with a towel. Make sure not to apply the cold pack directly to your skin, for it may cause further problems.

#2 Heat therapy

Do you feel that your shoulders are becoming stiff, and some of your muscles are becoming tense? If so, heat therapy can be a relief for you. You can use a heating pad, a heated gel pack, or a bottle with hot water.

#3 Compression

When your shoulders are experiencing a bit of intense pain due to swelling and inflammation, using a cold compression bandage can be a big help. That is why it is essential always to save such a type of bandage at home. You can purchase them from pharmacies. You can wrap it carefully on the shoulders. Wrapping it too tightly will cause blockage of the blood flow. Loosen the bandage when your hands or arms start to feel tingly and numb.

#4 Use muscle relaxants

When you have spasms and muscle tensions around the shoulder and its joints, then muscle relaxants can be used to treat the pain. Some of the examples of these are baclofen, tizanidine, and cyclobenzaprine. Remember that these medications require a prescription from a doctor. It is also essential not to take these medicines when operating a machine or when you’re driving since they can cause drowsiness.

#5 Take an anti-inflammatory medication

Another way to reduce inflammation and relieve pain is by using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication. They may include naproxen, ibuprofen, and aspirin.

Important Reminder When Working at Home

Shoulder pain, as well as other conditions, can be caused mainly by poor posture. That is why the best way to handle these kinds of posture-related issues is to prevent them. Always practice good posture when standing, sitting, lying down, or performing tasks at home. When sitting, avoid slouching. If you’re engaged in a desk job at home, such as writing, designing, or even crafting, make sure to use an ergonomic chair to protect your back and shoulder. Always position your computer monitor at eye level. Have your mouse placed in a position of the 90-degree angle of your elbows. This will help lessen the pressure and tension put on your shoulders. It is always helpful to work in an ergonomically-designed workplace, so make sure to apply these in your home office.

Shoulder pain often involves the muscles, tendons, cartilage, nerves, and ligaments. When left untreated, this may cause numbness in the arms and hands. The discomfort and pain you will pain may also hinder your productivity and efficiency on the job. Prompt treatment is necessary. That is why it is crucial that you learn and apply the professionals’ tips on how to find shoulder pain relief in an office or even when working at home.