An affliction that affects almost half of us at some point of our lives is shoulder pain. It is a very common ailment because there are many causes of the problem.
Similar to many pain conditions, the quicker appropriate care is sought; the faster normal activities can be resumed. Often unthought-of, but most important, is that if shoulder pain is ignored it can become a frequent and chronic condition.
The most mobile joint in the human body is the shoulder. It includes four tendons that hold muscle to bone. Together, they make up the rotator cuff that allows a wide range of motion in the shoulder. They also stabilize the upper arm bone to the shoulder socket.
Because of its commonality yet diverse determinants, it is important to make an accurate diagnosis of the cause of your symptoms. This way appropriate treatment can be aimed directly at the cause. This is most imperative. Medical attention should be sought for specific treatment, recommendations, and care, rather than using unsuccessful home remedies.
Chiropractic care is most commonly sought by people looking for relief from neck or back pain and chiropractors are most often thought of as “back doctors.” But chiropractors are not limited to only care of the spine. They’re highly qualified to treat injuries to many other areas of the body. Most chiropractors are trained to adjust and treat extremities including knees, and smaller joints such as the toes, and the shoulders.
At times, shoulder pain is caused by joint irritation, while other times it is caused by tissue irritation. Chiropractic relief for shoulder pain can often be achieved through manipulation and other treatments.
Best of all, chiropractic care is holistic care and a chiropractic doctor may be able to relieve your pain and heal your injury without the need for invasive surgeries, addictive painkillers, or other medications.
Chiropractors look at overall health, not only the condition of your shoulder. The focus is also on your lifestyle and diet, your symptoms, previous injuries, your family’s health history, your recreational and work-related physical activities, and the amount of daily exercise you perform. This approach is integrated and helps determine the best treatment for your shoulder pain by working to identify the cause of your problem first.
A chiropractor treats biomechanical issues of the shoulder. The shoulder not working in proper biomechanical order causes both rotator cuff tendonitis and shoulder bursitis. Tendonitis is when tendons become compressed under the rigid, bony arch of the shoulder. The compressed tendons become inflamed or damaged and cause pain. Shoulder bursitis is an inflammation of a fluid-filled sac, or bursa, which lies between tendon and skin, or between tendon and bone. Normally, a bursa protects the joint and helps make movement more fluid. After performing a thorough examination, a chiropractor may have a patient undergo X-rays in order to rule out a fractured or dislocated shoulder. An X-ray also allows a chiropractor to see any calcium deposits or other structural problems that may be causing shoulder pain.
Once things such as fractures or dislocations have been ruled out, chiropractors have a variety of treatments options available to them. Some of the most common treatments include muscle work to stretch the fibers of the muscles of the rotator cuff. Muscle work most commonly consists of light massage or myofascial release techniques. Myofascial pain is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles). Myofascial pain is a fancy way to describe muscle pain and it refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissues.
These treatments help to relax the muscles and break apart scar tissue and other adhesions that prevent full range of motion and proper movement. While many instances of shoulder pain don’t require it, chiropractic adjustments can also be performed on the shoulder joint, clavicle, or scapula if required to treat the injury.
Chiropractic techniques may relieve the pressure that is causing your shoulder pain by restoring the health of your spine and neck. Gentle pressure applied manually to the vertebrates can help restore alignment, improve mobility, and relieve pain and stiffness.
Chiropractic doctors may recommend other types of treatment for relieving your shoulder pain. These may include moist heat, ice packs, massage, traction, or stretching and strengthening exercises.
You should see a chiropractor if you experience the following with your shoulder pain:
- You suffer from an injury that causes joint deformity.
- You suffer from shoulder pain that occurs at night or while resting.
- Your shoulder pain persists more than a few days.
- You are unable to raise your arm.
- There is swelling or significant bruising around the arm or joint.
- There are signs of an infection, including fever, redness, and warmth.
- You experience any other unusual symptoms.
- You are unable to carry objects or use your arm
Guyot Chiropractic can be reached at 865.429.4404 for appointments.