Neck, Shoulder and Arm Pain
Get the Facts Here!
Whether you are suffering from neck/shoulder pain or pain down the arm, the way it is treated will absolutely make the difference in how you respond. If you have neck or shoulder pain for instance, an M.D. may prescribe medication and then send you to a physical therapist whom, start’s you on a series of exercises. You may find that it can make you worse and there are reasons for this. You cannot properly treat the shoulder without extensive examination! Has your doctor performed a thorough examination on you or just given you pills and a referral?
Why are Neck and Shoulder Pain sufferers not getting better or even getting worse in some cases?
Misaligned vertebra cause friction in the facet joints which have many pain sensing nerves located in the rear portion of the spine
Hidden Misalignments in the neck can cause grinding and inflammation of the facet joints. These facet joints (found at the back part of the spine) are highly pain sensitive and when not gliding smoothly can cause sharp knife-like pain, achiness and refer pain into the upper back. If this is occurring to you and you also have shoulder or arm pain, then in most cases, you must correct the neck problem first.
This is because the nerves that give shoulder muscles there strength come out of little holes between the neck vertebrae. Misalignments can easily irritate these nerves and cut off the vital energy that goes to these muscles. Neurologically weak muscles are very painful to use. If your nerves are operating at 50% capacity, how can the muscle function at 100%. It’s impossible! If you start doing strengthening exercises too soon or continue to use the weak muscle, you will often re-injure yourself and make your condition worse. Signs of nerve compression in the neck are:
- Sharp or achy neck pain, stiffness, inability to turn the neck properly or neck tightness
- Upper back pain
- Pain radiating into the shoulder, or in parts of the arm
- Shoulder or arm pain and weakness with use
- Numbness or tingling anywhere in the arm
Misalignments add wear and tear leading to disc degeneration, bone spurs and permanent nerve compressions
Additionally, without proper treatment it can be progressive and continue to cause pain further down the arm. Long-term consequences are degenerative arthritis. If there is nerve irritation in the neck that is causing shoulder muscle weakness, then the shoulder joint will not have proper support and the socket can slip out of proper position leading to joint pain and a pulling on the bursa. This develops into a bursitis. You may be led into the orthopedics office and get a cortisone shot. In some cases this can help, but it can also return. If it does, then a bio-mechanical issue needs to be addressed. In some cases we may even need to look at the elbow because the elbow is an attachment for the biceps and triceps muscles, which in turn supports the shoulder.
How can you get the answers you are looking for?
It starts with a complete neurological, orthopedic and chiropractic examination
Warning! Don’t Be Afraid To Treat With A Chiropractor
A personal message from Dr. Kit Langstroth D.C. … Please don’t make the mistake of letting fear stop you. If you have a bone out of alignment that is causing your pain, then putting it back ‘in alignment’ is the only choice you have. It is absolutely not what you think. I’ll repeat that. It is absolutely not what you think. I can use very gentle techniques and I have had way too many people tell me it was the best thing they ever did. The results are much better than drugs which ONLY give temporary relief, many of which can cause severe damage to your gastro-intestinal system. I explain everything I do to my patients and you can count on the fact that I will treat you like a family member. If you wait, you’ll only increase your chances of being miserable for a very long time.
The correct approach is to determine if the neck is involved and if the shoulder or arm muscles have damage from a tear, old injury or scar tissue vs. nerve involvement. Dr. Kit is highly trained to deal with this. It may even be a combination of many things going on. We have most definitely found that a hands on approach of Specific Manipulation Procedures, massage, rehab, enhanced oxygen therapy, diet, nutritional support, and if needed Brain Based Therapy can all play a role when necessary to alleviate neck and shoulder pain. For those with severe chronic pain, please visit our Brain Based Therapy page to learn more! You can contact Dr. Kit at 916-925-2007. Call right now.
