Shoulder Pain in Fountain Valley?

We don't think much about our shoulders until they start to give us pain. Most people immediately start looking for the best chiropractic care in Fountain Valley because they are always using their shoulders to lift and extend their arms, to carry, wave and perform numerous other motions and tasks. The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body and as a result it is subject to a wide range of injuries and conditions.

Shoulder problems that go unchecked can lead to lifelong, debilitating issues. In order to properly treat the shoulder joint and achieve long-term relief it is important to identify the cause of shoulder pain. This article explains some of the common causes of shoulder pain and how chiropractic care can return the shoulder to functional health.

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Shoulder Pain Treatment in Fountain Valley

The causes of shoulder pain are seemingly endless, but let's go over some of the more common causes for pain in the shoulder. Shoulder pain may be the result of conditions, such as:

• Neck and upper back tightness
• Spinal misalignment
• Arthritis
• Abnormal patterns of movement
• Athletic injuries and automobile accidents

While a few of the items on this list may indicate localized swelling in the shoulder joint, more of them point to the spine as the probable source of pain. The nerves that control the shoulder originate in the spine. If the vertebrae around the neck and upper back are compressed or injured, the nerves that go to the shoulder will be irritated and cause pain. Even a minor spinal misalignment can interrupt communication between the nerves and the shoulder and a cascade of problems can begin. So, what appears as shoulder pain may actually be referred pain from the spinal column.

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Symptoms of Shoulder Injury

Due to the wide range of causative factors, shoulder pain and abnormal motion in the joint may develop gradually or come on suddenly. Symptoms of a shoulder injury are occasionally very subtle, but even these can develop into major issues. Since the shoulder joint is used in the vast majority of activities that we engage in daily, all symptoms involving the shoulder should be monitored carefully and treated promptly to avoid progression of the problem. Symptoms indicating the need for an immediate evaluation of the shoulder complex include:

• Shoulder pain that lasts for more than a week
• Shoulder pain that goes away and then returns frequently
• Difficulty raising your arm above your head
• Trouble or pain when carrying objects
• Pain in the shoulder joint that becomes more pronounced in the evening
• Any visual signs of damage to the joint such as bruising or swelling
• Unusual snapping or clicking sensations in the joint during movement

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Chiropractic care for Shoulder Pain

Chiropractic care is a gentle and non-invasive alternative to medications and surgeries that provides fast and effective results. Fountain Valley chiropractors are trained to deal with issues in the spine and the shoulder complex that result in shoulder pain. In order to determine the cause of your shoulder pain, a chiropractic treatment begins with a thorough evaluation process, using information provided from your medical history, and advanced imaging techniques. Once a correct diagnosis is achieved it will then be used to develop an individualized treatment plan that will help ensure a fast recovery.

The shoulder is a complex ball and socket joint surrounded by numerous muscles, tendons and ligaments. Pain in this joint can be caused by a number of different things. The boney part consists of the upper arm bone called the humerus. At its top end there is a ball shaped like a half of a racquetball. It is suited to fit into the socket of the scapula or shoulder bone. This socket is like a small saucer and it’s made deeper by tough fibrocartilage attached around the rim. Surrounding these bones are the Rotator Cuff muscles that form a muscle and tendon cuff around the top of the arm bone under the deltoid muscle. The Rotator Cuff literally rotates the upper arm inward and outward.

Shoulder Pain can come from a number of things but the main causes we see in our Fountain Valley office are: 1) pain from a recent or past strain or injury, 2) pain due to poor posture at work or poor sleeping position, 3) pain referred from a neck, upper back or shoulder misalignment, or 4) pain referred from an organ dysfunction such as the gall bladder.

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Evaluation of a shoulder problem involves looking at the shoulder joint anatomically for problems with the bones, the shoulder joint or any of the surrounding support tissues. It also involves looking at parts of the body that influence the shoulder or refer pain to the shoulder. We typically look at range of motion, painful areas and whether or not there is nerve interference in the impulse sent from the brain to the shoulder area. A common cause seen in our office is a vertebral misalignment (subluxation) that alters or pinches the nerves traveling from the spinal cord to the shoulder muscles and ligaments. If you have a shoulder complaint, we perform a thorough evaluation and report the findings to you, advising you whether it is a chiropractic case similar to what we’ve had success with before. If so, we will outline the best course of care for you.

Call our team at Stark Family Chiropractic today for help.