Of all joints in the body, the shoulder joints are the most flexible ones. They offer a large range of motions, allowing us to scratch our back and comb our hair, and are strong enough to throw a ball and lift heavy weights. That is no little task.
It is not surprising that they get injured quite often. Like all other joints of the body, the shoulders need to move in harmony with balanced muscle contractions to stay strong and healthy.
Shoulder muscles, like all the muscles of the body, respond to the messages they receive from the brain down the spinal cord along the nerves, all the way to the muscles.
Without the nervous impulse, a muscle cannot be activated. An essential contribution of the nervous system is necessary to ensure balanced motion.
The nerves that supply the shoulder and arm actually originate from the upper spine and neck. Abnormal function and damage to this area can also cause shoulder and arm pain.
That is why your chiropractor will always evaluate not only your shoulder but also your cervical and thoracic spine when you come in with upper extremity pain or numbness.
The pain itself might not even be coming from the shoulder joint but be a referred pain.
Just like problems in the low back can cause pain down the legs (i.e. sciatica/pinched nerves), problems in the upper back and neck can irritate the nerves that go into the shoulder and arm, causing referred pain and symptoms.
Common shoulder conditions evolve slowly, and some may result from a direct injury like a fall or heavy lifting: they can lead to tendonitis or bursitis, rotator cuff muscle tear, shoulder impingements, frozen shoulder, osteoarthritis, and so on.
To find out the source of your problem, your chiropractor will do a chiropractic examination and orthopaedic tests that will help identify the source of the irritation. You might be asked to go for further examination like x-rays, ultrasound, CAT scan or MRI if we suspect any degenerative or other underlying condition.
Once we identify the mechanical issues that are causing your shoulder or spine-related pain, we will adjust your shoulder and your spine to correct the misalignment and remove interference to your nerves function.
After getting adjusted, most patients experience a feeling of relief, and they report that their symptoms go away faster and that they have been sleeping and moving better.
Basically, because it helps place your body in the position where it can heal itself, chiropractic adjustments can free your nervous system up to focus on keeping you healthy, which enhances your ability to move, to breathe and perform.
Whether you suffer from a recent shoulder or neck injury or have been dealing with chronic pain, chiropractic adjustments can provide noticeable changes. They can help reduce pain and restore mobility in your neck, shoulders, ribs, elbows and wrists. So, if you injured your shoulder, sprained your ribs, are dealing with carpal tunnel syndrome in a wrist, or other issues in your extremities, consider chiropractic for a non-invasive way to reduce pain and get back to full strength faster.
Chiropractic care has been shown to be effective in decreasing pain, increasing function and restoring quality of life and wellness to those with shoulder pain problems.
In order to always keep improving our quality of care to you, Algarve Quiroprática is moving to a new location. We will still be on the EN125 in Pêra but at the new roundabout that goes to Algoz. Come in and visit us, it will be a pleasure to see you.
Sandra Genest-Boudreau | Christophe O. Alves
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Sandra Genest-Boudreau is French-Canadian, who graduated from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in 1990 before coming to the Algarve in 2002. She is passionate about adjusting all her patients, particularly children. Christophe Alves graduated from the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic (AECC) UK, and has a special interest in Sport Chiropractic. Algarve Quiroprática clinic: EN125 in Pêra | 282 312 853 | 969 397 375
