How Can a Chiropractor Help With Shoulder Pain?

Shoulder pain is a common problem among people and when neglected for long, it can become a lingering problem as always taking pain killers is not an ideal solution. Chiropractic care can be an effective natural remedy for shoulder discomfort of any kind whether you are looking to reduce inflammation, restore the range of motion, or understand the reason behind your shoulder pain.

Is a chiropractor effective in relieving shoulder pain?

Chiropractors are experienced in handling shoulders joints and related musculoskeletal issues. Patients with shoulder discomfort are increasingly seeking chiropractic care to mitigate risk of surgery in the future.

A chiropractor will diagnose the extent of range of motion and sensations in shoulder joints and muscles to ascertain pain generators. Once the origin of shoulder pain is established, the chiropractor can move on to fixing an appropriate therapy regimen. Most chiropractors combine gentle adjustments with postural correction and muscle strengthening exercises to revive shoulder flexibility. 

See also: How The Weight Of Your Head Can Cause Problems

Rotator cuff injuries

Rotator cuff injuries commonly involve rotator cuff tears and tendonitis. Sports players, who move their arms a lot over their heads are more susceptible to rotator cuff injuries. 

People over the age of 40 are also more prone to rotator cuff issues due to muscle degeneration and loss of elasticity that comes with aging. Apart from this, improper coordination between the neck and the shoulder joints can also be an underlying cause of rotator cuff problems.

Chiropractic care can be a great non-invasive therapy to treat rotator cuff injuries. The chiropractor will use a range of methods to resolve the rotator cuff tear pain and ease inflammation. Ultrasound, electrical muscle stimulation along with heat and ice treatments are used to treat the pain. These are often followed by targeted exercises or spinal adjustments to bring back mobility. 

Dislocated shoulder

A protruded shoulder bone accompanied by pain, swelling, and inability to move the joint are the primary symptoms of a dislocated shoulder. Oftentimes, a severe blow or an injury leads to popped-out upper arm bone from shoulder socket. The dislocation can be partial or complete but cause severe pain and unsteadiness in any case and require therapy at the earliest. 

Chiropractors are well-trained to manage and rectify shoulder dislocations. Apart from physical therapy and adjustments, they might also ask you to follow specific stretches once the pain is relieved to help your shoulder recover and gain full mobility. 

See Also: Why Every Athlete Needs a Chiropractor

Shoulder bursitis

When fluid-filled cushion-like sacs called bursae become inflamed, it can lead to an immensely painful condition called shoulder bursitis. If left untreated, the condition can progress gradually over months and interfere with  up and outwards shoulder movement. 

Shoulder bursitis patients also experience pain reaching towards elbows or wrists that can hamper their daily activities. 

Bursitis can be cured in many ways but chiropractic care is considered as the safest and most effective. Chiropractors can use a combination of ultrasound and massages to reduce inflammation. Later, they can also alleviate the friction between impacted bursa sacs through manipulation. Bursitis has high recurrence chances, therefore, regular chiropractic care is advised to patients to prevent it. 

Frozen shoulder

Persistent stiffness and pain in shoulder joints are identifying symptoms of frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis. Many people ignore the initial signs of shoulder pain and resort to self-medication and home stretching to relieve the pain. However, if left untreated for long, frozen shoulder condition can worsen and interfere with the basic activities of patients. The condition is more prevalent in women than men and individuals between 35 to 65 years are at higher risk of developing it. 

A chiropractor can help patients with frozen shoulder condition. In fact 50% of patients showed 90% improvement and 32% showed full recovery from frozen shoulders following chiropractic care. 

The chiropractor can design a therapy plan to first control the pain, followed by treatment to restore joint movement. Low force instrument adjustments and chiropractic massage therapy are common techniques used by chiropractors. However, they can advise ultrasound or cold laser for a speedy recovery. If you have had constant shoulder pain after an accident, then a chiropractor can help with that too.

Shoulder arthritis

Wear and tear of cartilage inside the ball or socket sides of the shoulder joints lead to arthritis. It is characterised by a reduced range of motion, crackling or grinding sound, stiffness, and pain in shoulder joints. Damage in joints varies from individual to individual and thus, needs timely assessment to control it.   

Early diagnosis of shoulder arthritis can be cured through non-operative chiropractic care. A chiropractor will initially check the severity of arthritis to chalk out an appropriate plan. Lifestyle changes and limited movement of the affected joint are some of the basic recommendations a chiropractor can make. The next course of treatment includes low-level laser therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs, and shoulder exercises to strengthen joints. In severe cases, the chiropractor can prescribe cortisone injections for short-term pain relief. 

See also: How Does Chiropractic Care Help With Arthritic Pain?

Consult a chiropractor at Iceberg Health 

Do not ignore even the slightest shoulder discomfort as it can turn into a nagging pain for life. Get in touch with a chiropractor at Iceberg Health right away who can help you live a pain free life. We provide natural and client-oriented therapies after a targeted diagnosis of your pain to understand the root cause.   

Call us at 678-505-0000 and visit us at one of our locations in Lawrenceville, Marietta, Morrow or Midtown. Mention you read our blog article to receive a free appointment!

We will help to get you answers to any type of queries and questions even before starting therapy. Rest assured, our professional chiropractor will help you get back to your normal self within the shortest possible time. Our shoulder pain therapies aim at preventing recurrence so that you don’t look back anytime.