Causes and Treatments of Shoulder Pain

If you are experiencing shoulder pain, you already know how it can impact your life. Your shoulders help you lift, pull, push, and move your arms. When your shoulders hurt, your entire upper body can hurt too. Our chiropractor can help.

What You Need To Know About Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain is a common problem. Let’s look at just a few of the most common causes of shoulder pain:

• A sports injury, accident, or fall
• Rotator cuff tendon overuse or injury, causing tendonitis
• Inflammation of the bursa in your upper shoulder, causing bursitis
• Inflammation of the joints in your shoulder, causing arthritis

Mild, occasional shoulder pain can often be treated at home. Some simple tips to get relief from shoulder pain include:

• Placing an ice pack on your shoulder for 15 minutes several times daily to reduce swelling
• Applying warm, moist heat several times daily to relax muscles in your shoulder
• Wearing a sling to minimize shoulder movement and give your shoulder muscles relief
• Taking over-the-counter pain and anti-inflammatory medication to reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation

So, when should you visit your chiropractor for shoulder pain? You should see your chiropractor if your shoulder pain is:

• Not relieved with home remedies
• Increasing from mild to moderate or severe pain
• Interfering with your abilities to work, attend school, or do the activities you love

Our chiropractor will perform a full examination of your shoulder, including range-of-motion and flexibility. Imaging studies may be recommended to assess bone, ligament, muscle, or tendon damage. After a comprehensive evaluation, your chiropractor may recommend:

• Manual adjustment of your shoulder to help realign the joint and improve joint function
• Therapeutic massage to relax your muscles, tendons, and ligaments
• Thermal therapies to boost circulation, reduce swelling and decrease pain
• Stretching and exercises, to increase flexibility and range-of-motion
• Muscle relaxant, pain, and anti-inflammatory medication to ease painful symptoms

Want To Know More?

To learn more about the causes and treatment of shoulder pain and how our chiropractor can help you get relief, talk with your chiropractor today.