This is a question we hear on a regular basis, and one that has a simple answer: yes, chiropractors help heal shoulder pain.
In fact, the sooner our clients come to us, the sooner we can provide quality care and support—and end the cycle of pain pills, loss of sleep, and reduced function.
There are a lot of benefits to holistic chiropractic care—and corrective chiropractic treatment for a shoulder injury is right up there on our list.
Don’t just take our word for it. Today we’re unpacking everything you need to know about how chiropractors help heal shoulder pain. We’ll break down how shoulder pain manifests. And we’ll talk about how chiropractic care can reduce pain and help heal your shoulder injuries.
Feeling skeptical? Don’t worry—we’ve got the research to back up what countless clients already know for sure: chiropractors help heal shoulder pain.
What Is Shoulder Pain?
Let’s start at the beginning. You’ve got an injury to your shoulder. It might be persistent and painful. It might come and go. You might find yourself favoring one arm or avoiding activities that aggravate your pain.
Some of our clients have suffered unnecessarily for years before they finally come to us. Don’t let that be you. If you find yourself nodding along to any of the following factors—give us a call today.
Adhesive Capsulitis (AKA the Frozen Shoulder)
A frozen shoulder is stiff, painful, and it limits the range of movement in your shoulder. It may be swollen or tight, and it stems from a thickening of the tissues surrounding your shoulder joint.
What it feels like…
A frozen shoulder is different from the kind of stiffness you feel if you fall asleep on one side for too long. It can make getting dressed painful, prevent you from driving, and reduce your quality of sleep.
Left unchecked, a frozen shoulder can progress until you can’t move it at all.
What to expect…
One of the most extensive studies—conducted in 2012—found that of 50 people suffering from shoulder injuries, chiropractic care was able to resolve the injury completely in 16 cases. Of the remaining 34 cases, 25 showed an improvement of between 75-90%, and 8 showed an improvement of up to 75%. The remaining person reported an improvement of 0-50%.
Rotator Cuff Disorder
The tendons and muscles around your shoulder joint are collectively known as the rotator cuff. They keep your shoulder in position and help control its movement—when they are healthy.
A damaged rotator cuff is caused by tendonitis or bursitis. Tendonitis is inflammation of the tendons, and bursitis is inflammation of the bursa sac between the bones and tendons. Either way—it’s painful.
What it feels like…
A rotator cuff injury might feel worse at night and stop you from sleeping. It might hurt when you try to move in a certain way or make one arm feel weaker than the other. You might struggle to lift objects above a certain height or feel a snapping sensation when you try.
What to expect…
Rotator cuff injuries are one of the most commonly treated causes of shoulder pain in our profession. In fact, an Australian study showed that the most commonly treated structure treated by chiropractors is the rotator cuff tendon.
Fortunately, this has given us a lot of experience. A combination of diversified technique manipulation, peripheral joint manipulation, and soft-tissue strategies can effectively treat your shoulder pain—often much faster than you’d expect.
Torn Muscles
A rotator cuff injury can be a type of torn muscle injury—but torn shoulder muscles can also be generalized as their own injury type.
- They are fairly common in adults as we age—presenting pretty regularly in our over-40s clients.
- In our clients under the age of 40, torn muscles are typically caused by an accident or sporting injury.
What it feels like…
Severe pain. The pain is typically sudden and immediate and does not ease even after cold or heat therapies are used. You may hear or feel a popping sensation when the muscles tear and experience weakness in the arm.
What to expect…
The short-term solution to a torn shoulder muscle is pain medication until a formal assessment can be made and treatment can be started.
Shoulder Instability
Our shoulder joints are made up of a ball—which is formed at the top of the upper arm bone—and a socket—formed by the shoulder blade. In some cases, the ball and socket may not fit properly together. This can cause a slip, or—in the case of an injury to the ball and socket: a dislocated shoulder.
What it feels like…
Long-term shoulder instability may feel like fatigue, numbness, or tingling in the entire arm. Shoulder instability that stems from an accident or injury—as you would get with a dislocated shoulder—will feel much more painful than that, but also lead to the feeling of numbness and fatigue.
What to expect…
In a review of chiropractic literature, researchers uncovered an effective holistic approach to healing shoulder injuries using chiropractic therapies.
These included compression techniques and manipulations that delivered a good outcome for the patient, were relatively comfortable in the short-term, and provided a safe recovery.
How Can Chiropractors Help Heal Shoulder Pain?
Our goal is to correct shoulder injuries through holistic chiropractic treatment. In short, we treat the whole person to heal the injury.
We’re not just looking at your shoulder—we’re looking at what your body needs to support your shoulder after we help fix it. We’re providing attention to your joints, your ligaments, connective tissues, bones, and tendons. We’re introducing bodywork to improve circulation, reduce stress, and promote muscle relaxation. Our goal is to balance and align your body in order to help it heal and maintain itself.
We’re preparing your body to look after all of itself.
And we’re combining that holistic approach with the tried and true chiropractic arsenal that helps chiropractors heal shoulder pain.
- Shoulder pain diagnostics: Diagnostic exams, orthopedic tests, and imaging in conjunction with your primary care physician. These help us establish your treatment plan.
- Chiropractic shoulder adjustments: Inflammation, pain, muscle soreness—all these can factor into a gentle chiropractic treatment to restore normal alignment.
- Chiropractic upper back and neck adjustments: These can assist in minimizing shoulder pain and strengthening the supporting areas of your body.
- Posture correction: Poor posture can cause your shoulders to roll forward, your upper back to slouch, and your head to push forward over your chest. Correcting your posture helps realign your shoulders and improve your treatment outcome.
Finding a Chiropractor to Help Heal Shoulder Pain
There’s no need to keep popping those pain pills to cope with a shoulder injury. Chiropractic care can help you. Our holistic approach to chiropractic care isn’t a quick fix—it’s a real fix, but it happens quickly.
Improved flexibility, range of motion, muscle strength, and alignment can all help heal shoulder pain and lower the risk of another shoulder injury further down the track.
To learn more about finding the best chiropractor near you, call us now—we’ll help you restore your body with the best chiropractic shoulder care in San Diego.