Using Chiropractic Care to Treat Rotator Cuff and Shoulder Pain

The shoulder serves as one of the joints in the body with the greatest mobility. The extreme range of motion of the shoulder can easily lead to injury, as the joint is held together primarily by ligaments and is very shallow. Since accident injuries can be the source of pain for the shoulder and rotator cuff for most people, chiropractors have developed a treatment plan.

Causes of Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain ranges from minor irritation to complete immobility. Bursitis and tendonitis are common and are caused by inflammation and swelling of the joint, tendons, or muscle. In many cases, this type of pain will fade on its own within a few days. Any pain that lasts longer than that should be checked by a chiropractor. Pain that lasts longer or is more severe may indicate that the pain is due to a more serious condition like rotator cuff syndrome.

Rotator Cuff Syndrome

In rotator cuff syndrome, the supraspinatus tendon is commonly injured. This tendon is located at the top of the shoulder between two bones, and it can cause pain in the shoulder in both the front and the side of the patient’s shoulder. This pain is commonly worse at night and can be very painful when lifting up the arm sideways. Any activity that involves overhead motion of the arm, like throwing, swimming, or holding items up, can be extremely painful.

Chiropractic Care and Shoulder Pain

Even though shoulder pain can have a variety of causes, treatment is similar in most cases. To avoid a frozen shoulder, it is important to keep moving the shoulder, and chiropractors in Clifton can tell you what exercises and motions you should avoid and those that you should do in order to help your injury heal. He or she may also provide you with specific at home exercises and muscle stretches to correct imbalances that may occur between the chest and upper back, as the correction of these imbalances can help to even and smooth the motion of the shoulder.