Have you been suffering from shoulder pain that just won’t go away, no matter what you do? If so, you may be suffering from a rotator cuff injury, a pulled shoulder muscle, or something else entirely. After all, the shoulder is an extremely complex joint and has connections to many other parts of the body as well.
In the following article, we will take a look at the shoulder and demonstrate why chiropractic care is an excellent option for decreasing pain in this area of the body.
Brief Shoulder Joint Overview
To be honest, referring to the shoulder as just one joint is a bit misleading. It’s more accurate to talk about the shoulder as a “complex” made up of multiple different joints. Each one of these smaller joints that makes up the shoulder complex has its own, unique issues that must be considered with regards to treatment.
The Glenohumeral Joint
The GH joint is the “ball and socket” of the shoulder. This area can often become unstable in overhead athletes and people who only develop certain parts of their shoulder musculature.
The Scapulothoracic Joint
Between the shoulder blade and the spine, lies a non-traditional junction known as the scapulothoracic joint. This joint is different from others in the body in that it is only connected by muscles, not ligaments and other structures.
The Acromioclavicular Joint
Right on the top-front portion of the shoulder sits the AC joint. This area can become injured due to trauma, poor posture, or misuse of the arm.
Any one of the joints listed above can become loose, stiff, or otherwise dysfunctional, leading to pain throughout the arm.
But it’s not only joints themselves that cause pain in the shoulder. There are many other factors that may irritate this complex joint.
Other Causes of Shoulder Pain
Many times, a person will experience pain in the shoulder as a result of a pinched nerve in the neck or even from certain organs in the body. When an area other than the shoulder is the cause of the pain, this phenomenon is known as referred pain.
For the right shoulder specifically, pain may be referred from the liver. Additionally, a slipped disc in certain areas of the neck may lead to shoulder pain as well.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help With Shoulder Pain
For many causes of shoulder pain, chiropractic care can provide quick, if not instantaneous relief of symptoms. Case in point, if you’re shoulder pain is being caused by a tight joint in your neck, a cervical manipulation might immediately relieve your symptoms. With continued exercise and stretching after your chiropractic plan of care has concluded, you may never have to deal with that pesky shoulder pain again!
For issues that have resulted from a direct injury to the shoulder, such as a rotator cuff tear, your chiropractor can guide you through a progressive rehabilitative process, ensuring that you introduce appropriate exercises that will return you to full health as soon as possible.
Lastly, when it comes to referred pain from other organs of the body, your chiropractor may be able to help you, but she also may decide to refer you out to another specialist. Your chiropractor’s goal is always to help you stay as healthy as possible. Sometimes, this may mean referring you out to another provider who can better address your needs.
Ready to address your shoulder issues? Got pain in other areas that you’re tired of dealing with? Book your appointment with At Last Chiropractic today. We would love to be your local go-to chiropractor in Litha, FL.
