By Zoe Auld Langley


The shoulder joint is a ball and socket structure with several ligaments and four major tendons known as the "rotator cuff" tendons to provide support and allow for a wide range of motion. As the most mobile joint in the body, it is particularly prone to stress and injury resulting in shoulder pain. A chiropractor offers a safe and natural approach to alleviating this issue which does not involve drugs or surgery.

The degree of pain felt usually depends on the underlying problem that is causing it. There may be swelling and inflammation of the joint itself, or in some cases the discomfort is actually being referred to the shoulder area from a misalignment in the cervical spine. In any case, the patient should not hesitate to consult the chiropractor.

The main objective of chiropractic care is to treat illness at its source, removing the issue causing pain instead of simply addressing the symptoms. The course of therapy the chiropractor deems most suitable for the patient is based on whatever is found to be the causative condition. Therefore, it is important that an accurate diagnosis be made in order for the patient to recover fully.

As a holistic discipline, chiropractic care considers the patient's entire health picture when planning the most suitable treatment for him or her. The practitioner will inquire about aspects of the patient's lifestyle such as diet, exercise habits, and body mechanics, and he or she will also take a health history of the client. A physical examination will be done to assess range of motion, and if further information is needed, a CT scan or MRI may be ordered.

When the causative condition has been identified, the practitioner will plan a course of therapy for the client. In many cases, chiropractic adjustments are part of the therapy. These consist of firm, abrupt, manual thrusts applied to a misaligned vertebra or joint to bring about realignment which will in turn reduce inflammation and swelling of the overlying soft tissues.

The chiropractor may also prescribe a series of stretching exercises for the client to perform at home. These movements help gradually restore normal range of motion, improve circulation, reduce inflammation, and strengthen affected muscles in such a way that a recurrence is less likely to happen. The patient may also be advised to make some changes to his or her body mechanics in order to speed up the healing process. Proper posture, particularly for those who spend long periods of time sitting each day can play a significant role in correcting shoulder pain issues.

Other treatments may also be implemented in the patient's therapy plan, such as hot and cold applications, massage, and traction. These methods are all useful in alleviating joint inflammation which can greatly reduce the amount of pain experienced by the patient and are often used in combination with adjustments and or exercise.

Patients who struggle with shoulder pain may not be comfortable with the typical approach used by mainstream doctors that involves the use of injections, steroids, and NSAID drugs. Chiropractic offers a safe and natural alternative which aims to eliminate the cause of the discomfort instead of focusing on the symptoms and prolonging the condition.




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