Short answer: shoulder pain when lifting the arm has several possible causes, including frozen shoulder, arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis or impingement, and it is often worse with use.[2] The NHS advice is to stay active and gently move the shoulder, and not to stop using it altogether.[2]
Shoulder pain when lifting the arm: what to know
- Keep moving gently, and avoid movements that make it worse.[2]
- Exercises for 6 to 8 weeks can help prevent the pain coming back.[2]
- Painkillers and heat or cold packs such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, as suits you.[2]
- Timeline: initial easing can take around 2 weeks, and full recovery 6 months or longer.[2]
When to see a doctor
See a GP if the pain gets worse or hasn't improved after 2 weeks, or it is very difficult to move your arm or shoulder.[2] Get an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 for sudden or very bad pain, an arm you can't move, a changed shape or badly swollen shoulder, pins and needles that don't go away, pain after an injury or fall, severe pain in both shoulders, or fever or feeling unwell.[2]
Sources
Written by the Prife iTeraCare team and last reviewed on 10 October 2026. This is general information, not medical advice, and it does not replace your doctor or physiotherapist. A session is a wellness experience, not a medical treatment.
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