Shoulder Hurting? Here Are Some Likely Reasons Why

Shoulder pain can be a symptom of a number of different issues. Sometimes it is the result of an injury. Other times it’s as simple as overworking the joint during chores or physical activities. And then there are the cases where the pain stems from entirely different body parts – a condition known as “referred pain.”

Below, we cover common sources of shoulder pain, and how chiropractic care can help alleviate it in many situations.

Shoulder Pain Stemming from Injury

In order to make an educated guess about whether you have suffered an injury, you can ask yourself three simple questions:

• Can I move my shoulder normally, or am I experiencing too much stiffness or pain?
• Am I strong enough to manage typical levels of activity?
• Does it feel like one wrong move and my shoulder may pop right out of the socket?

Often, shoulder injury calls for professional chiropractic treatment. Three very common injuries are dislocation, separation, and frozen shoulder.

Dislocation

When you have dislocated your arm, this means that the “ball” of your shoulder’s ball-and-socket joint has physically come out of the “socket.”

This can occur when the shoulder is pulled back too forcefully or rotated too much. Less often, when the tendons and muscles become too relaxed, this can happen, as well.

Separation

Separation actually refers to an injury just above your shoulder – in the acromioclavicular (or AC) joint. When the ligaments holding the collarbone and shoulder blade together are torn, usually during a hard fall or blow, the collarbone may be shifted out of place.

One tell-tale sign is a bump on top of your shoulder.

Frozen Shoulder

Frozen shoulder occurs when adhesions form in the joint and wind up limiting your range of motion. This is a condition that is often a result of previous injury (and the treatment for it) rather than a current one.

The term comes from a gradual “freezing” of the shoulder because previous pain and surgery may have prevented regular use, which in turn allowed the adhesions to build around the joint.

Chiropractic Care for Shoulder Injuries

For dislocations and separations, your chiropractor will correct joint position, then likely require you to wear a sling for a period of time while it heals in place correctly.

Frozen shoulder, on the other hand, often calls for a treatment plan that includes several sessions of deep tissue massage to break up scar tissue, and physical therapy to help you regain a fuller range of motion.

Overworking Your Shoulder

Once you’ve determined you aren’t suffering an extensive shoulder injury, spend a few days resting. If you still aren’t feeling confident that you are recovering well, your chiropractor can assist in relieving pain and discomfort associated with an overworked shoulder joint.

Bursitis

Each of your joints is surrounded by a sac called a “bursa” filled with fluid to cushion each joint. Working or performing activities that require you to use your arms in a repetitive motion can, over time, cause the bursa to become irritated.

You may experience a build-up of extra fluid, which can result in swelling, causing pain in your shoulder. With bursitis, you will likely notice the pain worsens when moving your shoulder joint.

Impingement

Another condition that may be caused by repetitive shoulder motion – specifically raising your arms overhead over and over again – is impingement.

Because of the way the joint moves when lifting your arms above your head, you run the risk of pinching rotator cuff tendons between your shoulder bones. Generally, the condition causes pain and swelling.

General Muscle Soreness

The deltoid (the largest muscle in the shoulder) has a primary function in lifting and rotating your arm. Its parts connect to the collarbone, shoulder blade, and the shoulder itself.

When you overwork the deltoid through physical activity, just like any other muscle, lactic acid is likely to build up within it. Depending on your level of fitness, deltoid soreness can be fairly intense.

Chiropractic Treatment After Overworking Your Shoulder

The general goal for a chiropractor treating issues caused by overworking is to reduce inflammation.

For bursitis, gentle massage and cold laser therapy are two options to explore. Manipulative therapy can relieve pinched tendons associated with impingement, and deeper massage techniques can help release lactic acid within sore shoulder muscles.

Pain That Isn’t Caused by Your Shoulder At All

In the rare case that your shoulder is hurting without physical signs pointing to injury or strain, you may be experiencing “referred pain.” This can be an important signal of serious or developing issues in other organs of the body.

Gallbladder and liver problems are two of the most common organs associated with this kind of internal warning system. Don’t take them lightly.

Specifically, if you experience shoulder pain while you are having trouble breathing or if your chest also feels tight, seek emergency medical attention immediately – you may be having a heart attack!

Whether your shoulder is hurting because of a direct injury, working the joint a little too hard, or some other underlying issue, your South Florida chiropractor can offer the guidance and treatment you need to relieve your pain and symptoms quickly and effectively.

About the Author:

Dr. Singer has been a practicing chiropractor for more than 20 years, and USA Health & Therapy has been around since 2004. Over the course of his career, Singer has helped tens of thousands of people with all kinds of issues by using a wide variety of treatment strategies. He has extensive knowledge of chiropractic modalities, including Gonstead, Diversified, Thompson Drop Table, and Activator, and in 1997 he earned a special adjunctive Chiropractic Certification in Spinal Trauma (CCST) to better provide care for car crash victims. Dr. Singer is licensed to practice chiropractic medicine in both Florida and New York.