“Carrying the weight of the world on one’s shoulders” is how the public perceives the burdens that shoulders carry. According to our shoulder pain chiropractor here at Vital Wellness Center, this is more than just a metaphor. Shoulders are key for many movements that we perform with little effort until they become painful.
Everyday tasks like waving to a grandchild or carrying a grocery bag can become impossible when we experience shoulder pain. Shoulders are the most mobile joint in the entire body so it’s not surprising that chiropractic for shoulder pain is very common in our office. We hope the following guide that our chiropractor for shoulder pain, Dr. Foss, has put together will help current and future patients maintain healthy lifestyles.
Common Causes of Shoulder Pain
There can be a variety of conditions related to shoulder pain including the shoulder’s position. Dysfunction can be caused in one or both shoulders when the upper back or neck is tight. This is linked to unhealthy movement compensation from trying to work around the upper back or neck issues. Shoulder pain chiropractic care aims to work on the shoulder and any surrounding painful areas.
The spine is another neighbor that can interfere with proper shoulder function. The spine is the ultimate control over brain-body regulation and communication. Nerve irritation, widespread dysfunction, and pain are the symptoms of a misaligned spine.
Many of our patients are prompted to search the internet for a “chiropractor for shoulder pain near me” when they have an auto accident or a fall. Shoulder pain is a common cause of post-accident chiropractic visits even though most people think whiplash is the main reason. Here at Vital Wellness Center, we have helped patients with various muscle, nerve, and bone injuries after an auto accident or a fall that have contributed to shoulder pain.
Two significant causes of pain and disability among our elderly patients are falls and arthritis. “Wear-and-tear” issues like osteoarthritis can develop in the shoulders because they are ball-and-socket joints like the hips. They can also develop autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis due to inflammation. Both of these conditions cause dysfunction and severe pain.
Neck, back, or other injuries can cause or worsen shoulder pain if left unattended. Unhealthy movement patterns can occur when someone tries to compensate for another body part that is not functioning correctly. This happens when an individual finds a way to move to reduce pain in one area of the body, but this compensation can cause pain in other areas of the body such as the shoulders. This is called “guarded movement.” However, this can cause fatigue in the compensating muscles and result in more pain.
Shoulder pain can also be the result of a stroke. According to the American Stroke Association, 84% of stroke survivors experience shoulder pain. This is caused by shoulder subluxation or misalignment. Movement becomes even more challenging for patients recovering from strokes as shoulder weakness is often associated with shoulder misalignment.
Shoulder Pain Symptoms
An auto accident, playing strenuous sports, or repetitive strain at work isn’t always the apparent cause of shoulder pain. Pain in the shoulder may start subtly and get worse over time. Occasionally, the shoulder can become extremely painful or have difficulty moving.
Nerve dysfunction can be attributed to shoulder pain radiating or traveling to neighboring areas of the body. Nerves control movement and sensation which is why nerve-related pain is excruciating. Dysfunctional nerve connections between the spinal cord and the shoulder region can cause inflammation, “pins-and-needles” pain, and difficulty with movement. According to our shoulder pain chiropractor, Dr. Foss, these symptoms can extend down the arm and into the hands or fingers.
Shoulder pain can feel like a dull ache in the shoulder or a sharp stabbing pain under the shoulder blade as described by our patients here at Vital Wellness Center. Other patients experience general soreness in the upper arms, upper back, and neck. Patients should seek chiropractic for shoulder pain care when it is difficult to figure out the cause of the pain.
When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention for Shoulder Pain
Here at Vital Wellness Center, our chiropractor for shoulder pain explains to our patients that the pain may not be how it appears. Shoulder pain can be a sign of a heart attack. Everyone should know to seek immediate medical attention if they are suffering from severe, sudden, and unusual shoulder pain. During a heart attack, the body will send as much blood as possible to the heart to help reduce damage. When this occurs, other areas of the body, like the shoulders, will experience pain as it is deprived of oxygen-rich blood.
Most people believe that left shoulder pain is a common sign of a heart attack. However, shoulder pain may or may not be present on either side, in women especially. The symptoms that women are most likely to have during a heart attack are nausea, vomiting, back pain, jaw pain, and shortness of breath.
How to Eliminate Shoulder Pain with Chiropractic Care
Shoulder pain chiropractic at Vital Wellness Center focuses on the root cause to eliminate shoulder pain. Our approach can vary due to the many causes of shoulder pain,but our shoulder pain chiropractor, Dr. Foss, uses therapies and interventions that are influenced by the patient’s needs and preferences.
Our commitment to gentle, non-invasive techniques for pain relief are elements of care that never vary from patient to patient. We also avoid the use of potentially addictive prescription pain medications for a more natural approach. Searching for the underlying causes of shoulder pain and focusing on improving overall function to boost the body’s natural healing resources are how our chiropractic for shoulder pain addresses the issues.
Shoulder Pain Therapy
Chiropractic adjustments, ultrasound, and holistic health coaching are some therapies that help many of our patients get the results they want and are based on scientific research. However, our chiropractor for shoulder pain tries to avoid a “cookie-cutter” approach to patient care.
Spinal and Other Chiropractic Adjustments
An excellent way to alleviate nerve-related shoulder pain is through chiropractic adjustment. Removing spinal subluxation is a major goal for our shoulder pain chiropractic because these misaligned areas can press directly on the nerves inside or coming out of the spinal cord. This then interferes with the nerve function that is important to brain-body communication such as pain perception.
Spinal adjustments are not the only adjustment we perform even though they are an essential part of chiropractic care. A subluxation in the shoulder is excess space between the shoulder and arm bone. This space can be manually minimized to reduce pain and restore function.
Ultrasound
Getting a great image of your baby isn’t the only way ultrasound is used. In chiropractic medicine, providing soothing warmth while increasing blood supply is accomplished by ultrasound. This gentle approach can reduce painful inflammation and prompt healing of damaged tissues by bringing much-needed oxygen and nutrients to the shoulder.
Holistic Health Coaching
The most important intervention we offer at Vital Wellness Center is holistic health coaching. This may sound like a bold statement, but it is backed by scientific research and the history of our practice. You can build a stronger spine, more finely attuned nerves, and a healthier body through a diet rich in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
Staying active is just as important as what you put into your body. At Vital Wellness Center, we create an individualized movement program for each patient to improve their balance, flexibility, and strength. This will help with recovery and also prevent any possible future injuries.
We also offer mindfulness-based stress reduction strategy training because the mind is intimately connected to the body. It’s proven through our experience and many researchers’ experience that such interventions help lower levels of dangerous stress hormones like cortisol. Altered metabolism, interference with sleep-wake cycles, and higher blood pressure are some symptoms of high cortisol levels.
Shoulder Pain Chiropractic Brings Results
Living with shoulder pain or know someone that is? It can really make you appreciate what your body is capable of. Vital Wellness Center is happy to help offer some relief so that your shoulder can function without pain. Give us a call to schedule a consultation with our shoulder pain chiropractor, Dr. Foss, and start choosing the shoulder pain therapy options that are right for you.
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