Arizona Chiropractic Group & Medical
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Arizona Chiropractic Group & Medical
Shoulder Pain
Our shoulders are complicated, complex structures that can suffer from a wide range of painful conditions. We sleep on them, pull with them, reach and push with them. Over time, these very human activities can cause us pain and discomfort. Fortunately, there are remedies and solutions for the various shoulder issues we encounter.
Often referred to as “frozen shoulder,” adhesive capsulitis, is a painful and disabling condition in the shoulder capsule, caused by the tightening of the innermost ligaments of the shoulder. The inability to enjoy a free range of motion is often the most obvious symptom. This is due to inflammation of the ligaments which get very tight, and movement of the shoulder HURTS.
With the proper treatment one can greatly reduce the time spent with this painful condition. Over 90% of the patients do very well with conservative treatment. Chiropractic methods used in the treatment of frozen shoulder addresses the most practical issue of all: getting the body to move easier and the person back to an active lifestyle. There are several courses of action available including Physical Therapy to improve range of motion, EMS to stimulate the release of pain-inhibiting molecules, and Spinal Adjustment to bring the body into proper alignment.
Impingement syndrome is a fancy word for “pinching” of the rotator cuff muscles in the shoulder. The muscles get pinched between two bones (the humeral head and the acromion process) and this causes inflammation. Inflammation will lead to more pinching and that is when you get pain. There is a small protective sack in the shoulder that is on top of the rotator cuff tendon. This is the bursa for the shoulder. When one gets inflammation in the tendon, we refer to this as impingement, bursitis of the shoulder or rotator cuff tendonitis.
The pain is usually felt on the outside of the shoulder or arm area and can radiate to the elbow or into the neck. Anyone can get it – from sedentary patients to athletes. Reaching overhead or use of the arm in certain directions makes the pain worse. Popping or snapping in the shoulder may be felt with movement. As the impingement syndrome progresses the rotator cuff muscles weaken and may subsequently tear. This is one of the ways you can tear the rotator cuff muscles.
There are multiple causes, but the most common is a small bone spur or a tight ligament. These structures are usually the culprits for all of your pain. They are the ones which cause the inflammation in the rotator cuff and/or bursa.
Since a majority of the patients with impingement get better with conservative management, we recommend physical therapy, massage therapy, and ultrasound therapy. In the early stages of bursitis, ultrasound therapy is an effective method to safely decrease inflammation, along with massage therapy aimed at safely breaking down scar tissue. Once a patient’s bursitis is stabilized, physiotherapy and joint manipulation can then be very effective in loosening up the related soft tissue, restoring flexibility and alleviating pressure and friction over the affected bursa.
At Arizona Chiropractic and Medical, our team’s primary direction is getting our patient on the journey to recovery by using our highly trained staff using therapies and treatments that have been proven over the years to get patients back to their normal life. Accidents and injuries not only cause physical injuries but mental as well, causing stress, frustration, confusion, and even anxiety making it hard to know what to do.
“What do I do”? is a question that most patients ask themselves after an injury and how do I deal with the unknowns of medical and insurance? We have managed the care of accident injury patients with our Medical, Chiropractic and Physical Therapy for 20 years. We worked as a team to help guide you in your recovery and through the unknowns. That is what we do, we care.
About The Team
At Arizona Chiropractic and Medical, our team’s primary direction is getting our patient on the journey to recovery by using our highly trained staff using therapies and treatments that have been proven over the years to get patients back to their normal life. Accidents and injuries not only cause physical injuries but mental as well, causing stress, frustration, confusion, and even anxiety making it hard to know what to do.
“What do I do”? is a question that most patients ask themselves after an injury and how do I deal with the unknowns of medical and insurance? We have managed the care of accident injury patients with our Medical, Chiropractic and Physical Therapy for 20 years. We worked as a team to help guide you in your recovery and through the unknowns. That is what we do, we care.
