Shoulder and Arm Pain

Shoulder and arm pain is very common, you do not have to be a javelin thrower or a shot-putter to experience the pain, numbness, tingling and weakness that can be so disabling and which can occur either as a result of an intrinsic problem or an extrinsic cause (referred pain from a problem elsewhere)!

Doctor of Chiropractic, Daniel Chatfield sees patients with many different causes of pain in the shoulders and arms at his Chatfield Family and Sports Chiropractic practice. He advises that there is a wide variety of conditions that present with similar symptoms but which need very different treatment.

The full patient history and thorough physical and neurological assessment for all new patients he performs, is the best way to fully understand the cause of the problem and, where Chiropractic care is indicated, create a treatment plan tailored to the individual.

To arrange your initial consultation, please call us today on 9303 9952 and take that first step to resolving your pain.

Common Causes of Shoulder Pain

The shoulder is a complex structure that is required to be in almost constant motion, during sport, doing jobs necessitating raising the arms above the head, lifting children and shopping, driving the car, etc.

The most common causes of shoulder pain include:

• Rotator Cuff Problems: “Rotator Cuff” is the name given to the group of muscles and tendons that stabilize the shoulder joint. Common problems include rotator cuff tears, tendinopathy, tendonitis, a trapped rotator cuff tendon and shoulder bursitis.
• Glenohumeral Disorders: Shoulder problems including ‘frozen shoulder’ and arthritis.
• Acromioclavicular Disorders: Disorders affecting the joint between the Acromion, the part of the shoulder blade forming the highest point of the shoulder and the collar bone.
• Referred Pain: This can be from a neck or upper back problem, but it can also be due to illness or a diseases process including gall bladder disease and Myocardial Ischaemia where blood flow to the heart is restricted. This fact is one of the most compelling reasons for taking prompt action to get medical advice if shoulder and arm pain strikes unexpectedly.

Common Causes of Arm Pain

Traumatic Injury: Arm pain caused by injury to the limb during sport, or to the neck or the head.

Repetitive Strain Injuries: Repetitive tasks at work or in the home are also responsible for many cases of arm pain – even something as simple as sleeping in an uncomfortable position can cause a problem.

Referred Pain: Problems with misalignment of joints in the upper spine or other trigger points in the back can affect nerves leading to pain in the shoulders and arms. This type of pain responds particularly well to gentle and precise Chiropractic manipulation and mobilization.

Wrist and Hand Pain

One of the most common causes of wrist and hand pain is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome with symptoms including pain, tingling and numbness that can also affect the elbow, shoulder and even the neck.

Choosing Chiropractic Care

Problems that have a biomechanical cause, including those causing referred pain are among the shoulder and arm problems that respond really well to Chiropractic care.  However, some conditions are not suitable for this type of treatment. If referral to another specialist is the best course of treatment for you, this will be arranged without delay.

If your pain originates from a minor sports injury, Chiropractic provides an entirely drug-free method of treatment designed to facilitate full and complete healing of the injury without leaving a weakness prone to recurrence.

Micro traumas caused by repeating the same movements every day, perhaps in a manual job, can lead to repetitive strain injuries. Daniel can give advice on changing the way you do a particular task at work and on workplace ergonomics to help you protect yourself from further injury.

For conditions suitable for Chiropractic treatment, it provides a drug free alternative for patients who either, cannot take anti-inflammatory or pain relief medications or who do not wish to do so because of worries about side effects, rebound pain and even addiction.

You can book an appointment to see Dr Chatfield by calling 9303 9952 (Roxburgh Park) or 9746 3977 (Sunbury) now.