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Why do my shoulders hurt when I sleep at night?

I am a 28 year old male. My shoulders hurt when I sleep at night. What could be the cause?

6 Answers

Could be your neck, shoulders or upper back. Bone, ligamentous, muscular or nerves could be multiple causes.
Hard to diagnose just from that vague description. Could be coming from your neck if both shoulders hurt.

Dr. Jonathan Donath, DC, MS
Poor sleeping posture accompanied by repetitive trauma and possible underlying hip dysfunction
Possible causes might be the angle of your arm while you sleep. How long has this pain gone on for, have you checked with your doctor regarding torn ligaments in your shoulder cuff area?
There are many reasons for shoulder pain. Is it the right shoulder, the left shoulder, the front of the shoulder, or the back of the shoulder? These are just some of the questions that need to be answered. It could be musculoskeletal in nature, but it also could be referred pain from you heart, liver, or gallbladder. If you have a problem, you should seek treatment from a qualified professional who will take a detailed history and do a thorough examination.
If you are a side sleeper this can put a lot of pressure on the shoulders, especially if the shoulders have a forward rounded posture. This can be corrected through strengthening the rotator cuff and back, and by stretching the chest muscles.