Could my bed be causing chronic shoulder pain?

A bed could definitely cause shoulder or back pain. I had constant back pain sleeping on a crappy cheap spring mattress in college.

Are you working your shoulders especially hard in your new exercise routine? As for relief, have you tried a super hot shower? Also, Tiger Balm and Mineral Ice are both really good for temporary pain relief (Tiger Balm is much stronger).

@bookish1 I just don’t want to drop $800 on a new bed if that’s not the problem, you know? But no, I haven’t been working my shoulders a whole lot. In fact, I think only one of my exercises works my shoulders directly. And I never have pain at the gym.

Thanks for the suggestions!

It might be, but you might also want to consider the temperature or ambiance of the room.

You can purchase a mattress topper for a lot less than a new mattress.

@YARNLADY We used to have a memory foam mattress topper but tossed it because it made the bed WAY too soft. Plus, I’d think if the mattress is in such bad shape that it’s creaking and popping, a topper won’t solve the issue for long.

A new mattress is a very good investment, for your health and comfort.

Exactly how old is your mattress? I just got a new mattress a few months ago. The one I had before that was over 50 years old and was beyond what is acceptable for a “firm” mattress. I had a lot of muscle pains, and once I got a new mattress those pains went away.
Are you maintaining good posture, especially when you sleep? I used to sleep in a fetal position before I realized it was bad for me (we’re talking years ago), and nowadays I sleep on my back, head on the mattress with pillows supporting it on either side. Occasionally, I will sleep sideways, but my back is still straight, and my head actually on the pillow for support. I tend to sleep with my arms above my head, which has caused me shoulder pains maybe once or twice after not being in an ideal position.
@YARNLADY is right; a good mattress is definitely a good investment.

I know that knot, as I have had one there for a few years. In addition to considering your positions when you sleep, also be mindful of your posture during the day. It is good that you are working out. You might also notice if that’s the shoulder you sling your purse over, and whether your bras are supportive enough. I even suspect the way I lean in the car as a contributing factor.

This one hour yoga shoulder sequence is cheaper and takes less time than waiting in the doctors office.

I had terrible shoulder pain for 20 years. My wife would have to crack my back every day after work. I thought it was the work causing it.
When we got a new bed, the pain was gone. I would have bought a new bed 20 years before if I had known.

Could it be repetitive strain injury? I know you’re a student so you probably write and type a lot. I went through a phase a few years ago where I had the most awful pain in my shoulder. It turned out to be RSI. It doesn’t always manifest where you’d think it would. So perhaps do a bit of reading about it and see if it might be a fit. I changed how I worked and my desk set up and thankfully, no problems now.

@dxs I’m not sure how old it is, because we bought it for $50 from a guy who was going off to the military a couple of years ago. I’m not sure how long he had it, but I do know it wasn’t nearly this noisy when we got it.

We have a bed in the spare bedroom that is only about 6 years old, so I was thinking about sleeping in there first, just to see if our mattress is the culprit. How long would it take to feel a difference?

^^^My sister, who changes mattresses the way some people buy new sponges, says that she can tell after one night.

A decent mattress may be one of the best investments you can make: it will earn its keep in lower medical bills and happier bodies.

@gailcalled I agree; I just want to make sure that’s the problem before spending a lot of money. I hear Sam’s Club sells Serta mattresses at around $400. That’s about half the price of other mattresses I’ve been looking at, so it’s definitely something I’ll be looking into if the guest room bed alleviates my pain. Unfortunately, that bed is a full size and the husband and I require a king (we’re small people, but we like our space), otherwise we’d just use that bed.

I’ve had that kind of pain. Mine was caused by having my mouse too far from my shoulder. I needed 4 visits to a chiropractor to stretch out that knot.

I can ease the pain by stretching: head looking down and left, arm stretching down and right. Then vice versa. But I needed chiropractic help to loosen the knot before this stretch would give lasting relief.

Exactly @RocketGuy RSI. I said that up too. OP is a student who probably uses a computer a lot. I know I did and still do.