Shoulder Pain Treatment and Remedies

When you feel pain in your shoulder, it may be time to seek out some shoulder pain treatment. Whether it’s dull or sharp and stingy, shoulder pain is no fun. We’ve put together this guide on how to get rid of shoulder pain.

Shoulders have a wide range of motion. So, when something goes wrong, shoulder pain can really hamper your ability to move freely and carry out basic, everyday tasks. In fact, ...continued movement of your arm or shoulder can often make shoulder pain worse. Shoulder pain can be caused by friction in the shoulder joint itself, or injury to the surrounding muscles, ligaments, tendons, or nerves.¹ Shoulder pain can also radiate, affecting the neck, arm, and shoulder blade.

There are several shoulder pain remedies you can try out to get moving again and put a little joy back into your favourite everyday activities (hello, taking the pup for a walk around the block again!) However, if your shoulder pain doesn’t start feeling better after 7 days of shoulder pain remedies, consult a doctor to make sure there's nothing more serious at play.

Home remedies and treatments for shoulder pain

Not all shoulder pain needs a doctor’s visit. There are a few at-home shoulder pain remedies you can try out. They include:

Rest
There’s nothing like rest to speed recovery. Repeat motion is likely to further aggravate your shoulder joint and the surrounding muscles, tendons, and nerves. Avoid using your shoulder in ways that make your pain worse. Consider resting your arm on a cushion in your lap.²
Ice
Icing your shoulder can help reduce inflammation, as well as numb the area so that pain subsides. An ice pack, or even a bag of frozen veggies, should do the trick. Be careful not to place ice directly... on your skin. Always wrap any ice pack or frozen veggie bag in a thin towel before applying it to your skin. Do this for around 20 minutes, 4 or more times per day. If after 2 days this isn't doing the trick, consult a pharmacist.³

Over-the-counter pain medication
Our shoulders serve us in nearly any task we undertake throughout the day. Taking a break from all activities can often be unfeasible, plain and simple. If your pain is from a sprain, strain to your muscles or tendons, using an NSAID like diclofenac (which is the ingredient in Voltaren products), which fights inflammation, and reduces pain: so you can get back to doing the little things in your day that make you happy. Read the label to check how long you should use the medication before seeking advice from a health care professional if the pain isn't getting better.

Treatments for shoulder pain your doctor may recommend

If your pain isn't going away after at-home treatments, after a week you should ask your doctor how to get rid of shoulder pain, here are some shoulder pain treatments he or she may recommend. They include:

Alternative pain treatment
Depending on the severity of your shoulder affliction your doctor may recommend ... another course of treatment beyond what you can do at home.

Recommend physiotherapy
Your doctor may recommend that you make a regular appointment to see a physiotherapist. Alternatively, he or she may provide you with some physiotherapy exercises and stretches that you can perform on your own at home. These often involve stretchy exercise bands and it's important to keep to the routine set to make the difference!

Voltaren products for shoulder pain relief

Voltaren products for shoulder pain include:

Voltaren Emulgel Back & Muscle Pain
Voltaren Emulgel Back & Muscle Pain with a No Mess applicator
Voltaren Emulgel Extra Strength

How Voltaren works to relieve shoulder pain

Voltaren works on sprains, strains, or sports injuries, that have caused trauma to a tendon, ligament, muscle or joint in your shoulder. To be sure this product is right for you always read and follow the label.

Woman holding her neck and shoulder in pain

Voltaren works as they are formulated with the active ingredient Diclofenac. Voltaren targets pain at its source with a dual effect:

Relieves pain
Reduces inflammation, a major cause of pain

Diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Voltaren is specially formulated with microemulsions, (hence 'Emulgel') which penetrates deep through the skin to target a major root cause of pain, inflammation.

How to use Voltaren Emulgel Back & Muscle Pain with a No Mess applicator to relieve shoulder pain

No Mess Applicator

The first time you use the tube you’ll have to break the tamper-evidence seal. To remove the seal before first use, remove the transparent protective cover and then unscrew the applicator. Use the star-shape groove located at the side of the applicator to remove the tamper evidence seal of the tube. Screw the applicator back on the tube before dispensing the gel.
To open, simply pull up the white part of the applicator and squeeze the gel through onto the applicator pad to apply.

Uncap
Twist
Remove Seal
Screw & Pull
Gently Squeeze the Tube

Gently rub or massage 2 to 4g of gel into the skin around painful or swollen area to treat an area of about 400-800 cm². Do not use more than 4 times in 24 hours. The gel should not be used for more than 7 days for back, muscle and joint injuries unless recommended by a doctor. The gel is not recommended for use in children under 16 years of age.

How to use

Voltaren Emulgel Extra Strength

For adults between 18 to 65 years:
Apply gel 2 times a day. The amount of gel applied (2 g for each application) should be measured using the dosing card supplied in the product carton. For each application the gel should be squeezed from the tube and measured up to the 2 g line on the dosing card. Do not use more than 4 g per day.

Voltaren Emulgel Back & Muscle Pain

For individuals 16+:
Apply gel 3 to 4 times a day on the affected area. The amount needed will vary depending upon the size of the painful or swollen area: 2 g to 4 g (1 g equals a strip approximately 2 cm long) gel will be sufficient to cover a 400 to 800 cm2 area. Do not use more than 4 times in 24 hours.

¹ “Shoulder Pain” Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/shoulder-pain/basics/definition/sym-20050696 Accessed Nov 2020
² “Shoulder Pain” NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/shoulder-pain/ Accessed Nov 2020
³ What is the RICE method for injuries? Medical News Today https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321469#proper-method Accessed 12th January 2021
⁴“Shoulder Pain, University of Florida Health https://ufhealth.org/conditions-and-treatments/shoulder-pain Accessed 15th January 2021

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Health, wellness & your pain

Pain is rarely just physical nor is it always solved by taking medicine alone. Voltaren is your ally in helping you take more control of your pain journey, from the way to sleep, to what you eat, mental wellbeing and complementary pain relief therapies.