Shoulder Pain Help in Palatine
The shoulder is one of the most mobile, and most used, joints in the human body. This joint is held together by ligaments, muscles surrounding the shoulders that make them strong and stable. Our shoulders allow us to reach over our heads, behind our backs and much more. All this movement, though, can lead to shoulder injuries, injuries that occur very easily.
Our team at Innate Life Chiropractic is exceptional when it comes to shoulder pain. Regardless if you have had this condition for a while and it’s getting worse (known as chronic pain), or it just appeared today (known as acute pain), our chiropractor in Palatine has solutions for you.
Common Shoulder Injuries
Because the shoulder is one of the most used joints, when there is mild pain in this area, it can be annoying and difficult to move. Shoulder pain results from swelling and inflammation of the muscles, tendons, or the joint itself. However, severe pain, or pain that lasts longer than a few days, can be triggered due to a more serious condition.
Injury to the shoulder varies. Such injuries include:
- Sleeping on an outstretched arm, or on the same side every night.
- Falling onto an outstretched arm.
- Playing sports, such as throwing a ball or golf.
- Experiencing multiple injuries.
- Repetitive or overuse of the arm.
- Injury from lifting, whether from recreational or daily activity.
Although these instances seem typical, the pain experienced may not be. When such instances occur, the pain can escalate if left unchecked. Pain, and other symptoms, are signs there is something wrong in the body, with the shoulder.
The most well-known types of shoulder pain/injuries include:
- Dislocated shoulder. A dislocated shoulder injury occurs when the upper arm bone pops out of the shoulder blade socket. Expect intense pain, swelling/ bruising, and inability to move the shoulder in these cases.
- Strains and sprains. Shoulder strains involve any injuries to the muscle or tendons surrounding the joint. Sprains involve the ligaments in the joint. They can occur in either the top or lower half of the joint.
- Tendinitis. Swelling of tendons in the shoulder can develop from playing sports. Sports such as volleyball, football and basketball are common with tendinitis cases.
- Shoulder bursitis. An inflamed bursa (a fluid-filled sac that reduces friction between tissues in the body) in the shoulder can occur due to swelling and redness.
- Rotator cuff injury. This type of injury causes a dull ache in the shoulder, which worsens by sleeping on the affected side.
- Frozen shoulder. Best known for stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint. This occurs when connective tissues thicken and tighten around the joint.
What is Shoulder Bursitis?
First, let’s define bursitis. Bursitis is when the bursae – small, fluid-filled sacs located near the joints – become inflamed. These sacs act as cushions in the joints to prevent muscles, bones, and tendons from rubbing against each other. When the bursae are irritated, the affected area becomes inflamed and sore.
So, when someone experiences bursitis in the shoulder, they notice a reduced range in motion, along with pain and inflammation. Loss of movement results from less space for the muscles and tendons to move around. The pain can worsen as well, especially when lying on the affected shoulder, or if the shoulder is kept still for a long time. The most common area affected is the tip of the shoulder. The tip allows us to move the arm up and over our head.
Shoulder bursitis can result from an injury, overuse of the joint, or chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Key symptoms to watch for include:
- Soreness around the outside or tip of the shoulder
- Pain when the shoulder is touched
- Reduced range of motion
- Swelling and redness
- Pain when raising the arm
If a patient is experiencing symptoms listed above, along with a fever, the bursa may be infected and need medical attention.
Pain from a Rotator Cuff Injury…
The rotator cuff is the most important group of muscles in the shoulder. This group of muscles supports and stabilizes the shoulder. Thanks to these muscles, the shoulder joint can move and turn with a wider range than any other joint.
Rotator cuff tears, though, are quite common. Also known as rotator cuff syndrome, these tears lead to inflammation and swelling in the muscles and tendons, causing muscle irritation. Pain can worsen at night, especially if the patient sleeps on the affected area. Because of this, it is frustrating try performing daily tasks. A rotator cuff injury can lead to other health issues as well.
As to who is the most affected by rotator cuff tears, the answer is: everyone. Athletes put more strain on their bodies and can experience significant pain while being active. Non-athletes, though, suffer from rotator cuff injuries, too. Whether it is falling on an outstretched arm, or straining to reach the top shelf, anyone can experience pain in this area.
There is another cause behind a rotator cuff injury: aging. Over time, the tendons and muscles in the shoulder wear down, leading to micro-tears. This is due to loss of muscle elasticity as a person matures. As you mature, your body’s healing abilities slow down. Due to this, the rotator cuffs weaken and are vulnerable to more injury and damage.
… Leading to Frozen Shoulder
Injuries to the shoulder lead to pain and inflammation, as mentioned earlier. Patients notice they can move their shoulder and the pain subsides. However, when the pain becomes too much, and patients can’t move their shoulder as well as before. This is the case with frozen shoulder.
A frozen shoulder occurs when muscles in the shoulder thicken and become stiff. This causes adhesions – thick bands of tissue – to develop. With these adhesions and stiff muscles, the range of motion in the shoulder becomes limited. Additionally, it develops and disappears over time, making it harder to find the exact cause.
There are a few other causes for a frozen shoulder. It can develop from calcium deposits in the tendons. Osteoarthritis in the joint is another reason behind a frozen shoulder. Regardless, because it’s not a common condition, it’s difficult to determine what caused it.
Many frozen shoulder cases, and shoulder pain in general, can be related to spinal misalignments in upper back and/or lower neck. If a patient experiences irritation in these areas, along with frozen shoulder, a visit to the chiropractor can help relieve that pain and irritation.
Help for Shoulder Pain at Innate Life Chiropractic
At Innate Life Chiropractic in Palatine, our chiropractor will perform an examination, neurospinal scans, and evaluate your posture to determine the cause of your shoulder pain. After analyzing the findings , Dr. Nathan will develop a care plan to help improve the health of your shoulder, spine, nervous system and provide you with recommendations to lower your risk for possible re-occurrences.
Tonal Chiropractic Adjustments
This approach looks at the overall tone of your nervous system. Is your body stuck in a sympathetic overdrive of “Fight or Flight” or over-exhuasted from a parasympathetic hibernation? Tonal chiropractic allows your body to find the harmony between these two extremes, while also relieving abnormal tension on the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. This allows your brain and body to be more adaptable and resilient. Digestion and elimination are both normal functions of the body, however can be interfered with when the nervous system is running “fight or flight” all the time. Dr. Nathan uses a combination of MLS, Network Spinal Analysis, Biogeometric Integration, and MC2 to help your nervous system shift from stress to healing.
Dr. Nathan will adjust the vertebrae in the affected area to increase your range of motion and take pressure off the spinal nerves. He will focus on the imbalanced zone(s) connected to your challenge and begin care from there. Most common zones that will affect shoulders are the muscular and nervous zones.
Lifestyle Advice
With any injury, whether to the back, neck, or extremity, the last thing you want to do is exacerbate. The same idea applies to healing shoulders. Our advice is designed to help you perform everyday tasks and responsibilities safely. This does include suggestions to improving your diet, drinking plenty of water and fluids, and exercising. At Innate Life Chiropractic, we focus on healing and relief from shoulder pain, not aggravating it.
Contact Our Palatine Chiropractor for Shoulder Pain Relief
To get started with chiropractic care for your shoulder, choose our Palatine, IL chiropractor today. Innate Life Chiropractic is currently accepting new patients of all ages. Call our office today. When it shoulder pain, get help NOW!