You can usually do things to ease shoulder pain yourself. See a GP if it does not start feeling better after 2 weeks.

How to ease shoulder pain yourself

You usually need to do these things for 2 weeks before shoulder pain starts to ease.

It can take 6 months or longer to recover from shoulder pain.

stay active and gently move your shoulder
try shoulder exercises for 6 to 8 weeks to stop pain returning
stand up straight with your shoulders down and gently back
sit with a cushion behind your lower back
rest your arm on a cushion in your lap
use pain relief so you can keep moving – try painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen, and heat or cold packs

Putting heat or cold packs on your shoulder

Try either a:

pack of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel for up to 20 minutes, 3 times a day
hot water bottle wrapped in a tea towel for up to 20 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day

do not completely stop using your shoulder – this can stop it getting better
do not do things that seem to make it worse
do not make up your own strenuous exercises or use heavy gym equipment
do not slouch when sitting – do not roll your shoulders or bring your neck forward

A pharmacist may suggest:

the best painkiller – this might be tablets, or a cream or gel you rub on your skin
other ideas for pain relief and things you can buy to help, like heat and cold packs
seeing a GP if you need to

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:

These can be signs of something serious, like a broken or dislocated bone, or a torn (ruptured) ligament or tendon.

A GP will examine you to work out what's causing your shoulder pain.

They might send you for tests (such as an X-ray) to check the cause.

They'll suggest a treatment based on the cause, for example:

The number of physiotherapy sessions you may have depends on the cause of your shoulder pain.

If you're still in pain after your sessions end, go back to the GP. They might prescribe more physiotherapy or suggest another treatment.

Physiotherapy is available through the NHS, but waiting times can be long. You can also pay to get physiotherapy privately.

If you have shoulder pain, you might be able to refer yourself directly to services for help with your condition without seeing a GP.

To find out if there are any services in your area:

Shoulder pain that does not improve after 2 weeks might be caused by something that needs treatment.

But do not self-diagnose. See a GP if you're worried.

Symptoms and possible causes of shoulder pain
Shoulder symptoms	Possible causes
Pain and stiffness that does not go away over months or years	Frozen shoulder, arthritis (osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis)
Pain that's often worse while using your arm or shoulder	Tendonitis, bursitis, impingement
Tingling, numb, weak arm, feels like the shoulder is clicking or locking	Shoulder instability, sometimes because of hypermobility
Sudden very bad pain, cannot move your arm (or it's difficult), sometimes changes shape	Dislocated shoulder, broken bone (such as a broken arm or broken collarbone), torn or ruptured tendon
Pain on top of the shoulder (where the collarbone and shoulder joint meet)	Problems in the acromioclavicular joint, like dislocation or stretched or torn ligaments

In this video, an expert explains how to prevent and ease shoulder pain and when to get help.

Media last reviewed: 1 November 2021
Media review due: 1 November 2024

Page last reviewed: 22 May 2023
Next review due: 22 May 2026