Shoulder Impingement

Sleeping posture is a major cause of nocturnal pain associated with shoulder impingement syndrome. Lying with the painful shoulder down continuously compresses the humeral head, increasing pressure in the subacromial bursa. Recommended postures are: ① Lying on your side on the healthy side and hugging a pillow in front of your chest (to prevent shoulder tension); and ② When lying on your back, placing a folded towel under the painful arm to slightly elevate the elbow and reduce internal rotation of the shoulder. Pillows that are too high disrupt the natural curve of the neck, increasing the burden on the shoulder. In Korean medicine, sleep is viewed as a time for the body to recover naturally, during which warm energy gathers to regenerate Qi and blood. Poor sleeping posture compresses the pathways of Qi and blood, hindering circulation and exacerbating shoulder stiffness in the morning. At Dongjedang, we advise relaxing the shoulders and correcting sleeping posture with warm compresses (40 degrees or lower, 15 minutes) before bedtime, and in cases of severe nocturnal pain, we improve sleep quality with herbal medicines based on Ziziphus jujuba and Longan fruit.