| Painful shoulder problems are one of the most | | | | and improve function of the shoulder joint. Maintaining |
| common reasons for chiropractic visits for | | | | strength in the shoulder muscles may prevent further |
| musculoskeletal symptoms. The shoulder joint is the | | | | atrophy, and possibly slow down any further |
| region of the body where the humerus attaches to the | | | | degenerative changes. In severe cases joint |
| scapula, and the supporting muscles around the joint. | | | | replacement surgery may be an option. Diet |
| The shoulder has the most movement of the major | | | | modifications and nutritional supplementation may also |
| joints in the body. On the flipside, because of this large | | | | be beneficial. |
| range of motion, it is relatively unstable and easily | | | | Neck Pain or Degeneration |
| subject to injury. The head of the humerus (ball) is | | | | Shoulder pain can happen as a result of degeneration |
| larger than the socket of the shoulder joint that holds it. | | | | or injury in the cervical or thoracic spine. Degenerative |
| To stabilise the shoulder joint, the muscles, tendons and | | | | discs narrow the joint space between two vertebra, |
| ligaments anchor the bones of the joint together. | | | | causing increased irritation and pinching on the nerves |
| Overuse injuries, degenerative changes and lack of | | | | in the neck or middle back region. Those nerves leave |
| use or movement can all contribute to tissue | | | | the neck or upper back area and go into the shoulders |
| breakdown, loss of function and disruption to the | | | | and arms, or provide the nerve supply to muscles that |
| supporting musculature. | | | | are around the shoulder girdle. This type of damage |
| The shoulder is comprised of three osseous | | | | can cause referred pain into the shoulder area. |
| structures: the clavicle (collarbone), the scapula | | | | Sometimes shoulder pain is actually due to problems in |
| (shoulder blade), and the humerus (upper arm bone) as | | | | your neck or a mixture of several different problems. |
| well as the supporting musculature, ligaments and | | | | Neck pain as a result degenerative change is relatively |
| tendons. The articulations between the bones of the | | | | common. The pain may radiate, or spread, into the |
| shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The muscle | | | | shoulder blade or down the arm. Patients may have |
| groups and tendons that stabilise the shoulder are | | | | an arm or shoulder complaint, such as pain or |
| called the "rotator cuff." These muscles include the | | | | weakness, as the result of nerve root compression. |
| supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and | | | | Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is one type of |
| subscapularis, they hold the humerus (ball) in the glenoid | | | | advanced imaging to determine if the discs are injured |
| fossa (socket). | | | | or being encroached upon. Symptoms may include |
| There are many types of shoulder conditions, for the | | | | neck pain, pain around the back of the shoulder blades, |
| purposes of this article, are aim is to give a broad | | | | arm complaints such as pain, numbness, or weakness, |
| overview of three different types and how | | | | and rarely, difficulty with hand dexterity or walking. |
| chiropractic care may improve the health and function | | | | Treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease |
| of the shoulder region. | | | | provides good to excellent results in over 75% of |
| Some indications that you may be experiencing a | | | | patients. A multi-disciplinary approach includes: |
| shoulder problem or shoulder pain and need further | | | | Chiropractic adjustments which can be useful in |
| examination include: the inability to carry objects or use | | | | decreasing muscle spasms and improving mobility. |
| your arm without pain, pain while sleeping or at rest, | | | | Heat, and exercise may also have benefit in improving |
| pain that is ongoing and lasts more than a few days, | | | | function and stabilising the degenerative area. In severe |
| unable to lift your arm, swelling or bruising around the | | | | cases surgery may be an option. |
| shoulder area, redness, joint size changes or other | | | | Frozen Shoulder |
| obvious unusual changes to the shoulder area. The | | | | The proper term for Frozen shoulder is adhesive |
| pain can be local and just in and around the shoulder | | | | capsulitis. The shoulder capsule, and the connective |
| joint, or it may be referred and going down the arm | | | | tissue around the shoulder joint, inflame and become |
| and possibly into the hand, or into the middle back and | | | | very stiff. The tissues then start to grow together |
| lower neck area. Sometimes gallbladder, liver or heart | | | | forming abnormal tissue bands called adhesions. These |
| disease, or cervical spine disease can all cause | | | | adhesions cause a reduced range of motion or |
| referred pain into the shoulder through the various | | | | movement and chronic pain. The pain is often felt deep |
| nerve pathways. However, shoulder blade pain or | | | | in the shoulder joint and may be worse at night. The |
| scapula pain have a higher probability of the problem | | | | exact cause of frozen shoulder is still not certain. It can |
| coming from the cervical spine. | | | | be very painful and disabling and patients are |
| A comprehensive evaluation should include a personal | | | | sometimes slow to recover. Chiropractic may have a |
| history, a complete physical examination, including | | | | few applications when it comes to frozen shoulder. It |
| orthopedic and neurological tests, and if required xrays | | | | may be preventative, by maintaining mobility in the joint, |
| and possibly advanced imaging to determine the exact | | | | as well as lifestyle modifications with a healthy diet and |
| cause of the pain. If there is a tear, it most likely could | | | | exercise, that may decrease the likelihood of frozen |
| be in one of the tendons of the rotator cuff, | | | | shoulder occurring. Certain diseases such as diabetes |
| occasionally a tear may occur in one of the rotator | | | | and cardiovascular disease can have an effect on |
| cuff muscles. The supraspinatus tendon is the most | | | | joint mobility as they progress. If you are able to keep |
| commonly torn rotator cuff tendon. The orthopedic | | | | moving well, perhaps you will age well also. |
| tests can help determine or isolate which tendon or | | | | Chiropractic may help to stimulate physical health and |
| tendons and muscles (in a severe injury) may be | | | | may offset the common ailments that are often |
| injured. | | | | associated with aging. For treatment, chiropractors |
| Some of the shoulder pain conditions that I see in my | | | | generally do not use anesthetics in treating frozen |
| office are arthritis, referred pain second to cervical disc | | | | shoulder. Instead they employ a variety of techniques |
| degeneration and frozen shoulder. On rare occasion, | | | | to manage the pain, and to restore range of motion |
| shoulder pain may be caused by some form of | | | | and function in the shoulder. Chiropractors often use |
| pathology or tumour inside the body. | | | | heat and cold to relieve pain and gentle chiropractic |
| Arthritis | | | | mobilisation of the shoulder and spine, accompanied |
| Arthritic shoulder pain is not as common as the other | | | | with stretching and strengthening of the muscles |
| types. It is usually progressive and develops slowly | | | | around the shoulder. |
| over time. The shoulder joint area may have | | | | This is a very general overview of three types of |
| tenderness, swelling and stiffness when aggravated. | | | | shoulder pain. Treatment varies from person to person |
| The shoulder joint can be affected by both rheumatoid | | | | and can involve any of the following: chiropractic, |
| and osteoarthritis. Degeneration in the joint, or "wear | | | | massage therapy and surgery in severe cases. |
| and tear," is a progressive wearing away of the | | | | Response to treatment and the length of time it can |
| cartilage on the boney surfaces of the joint, exposing | | | | take, varies from person to person, depending on the |
| bare bone. Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, is a | | | | level of damage. Chiropractic can be a safe, gentle |
| systemic condition that causes inflammation of the | | | | and effective approach to helping with shoulder pain |
| lining of the joints. This inflammation can, over time, | | | | conditions. As with any type of health problem it is |
| invade and destroy the cartilage and bone. Gentle | | | | recommended to see your health care professional |
| chiropractic mobilisation of the shoulder and spine, | | | | for a further in depth assessment and examination for |
| accompanied with stretching and strengthening of the | | | | a more accurate individual treatment recommendation. |
| surrounding muscles, may help with the inflammation | | | | |