SHOULDER AND ARM PAIN




WHAT CAUSES SHOULDER AND ARM PAIN?

The cause of many instances of shoulder or arm pain is obvious.

You do something to injure the arm or shoulder and immediately

feel pain.  Or you begin feeling the pain a day or so later.  You

may have broken a bone or dislocated your shoulder.  Perhaps you 

strained tendons or ligaments by carrying too much weight for too 

long, by lifting something that was too heavy, overreaching or 

overexerting your arm--as when playing sports when you're out of 

shape -- or by keeping your arm in an awkward position, or even by 

sleeping on the shoulder.  The resulting pain may range from an 

annoying ache to acute pain that makes it hard for you to use the 

injured arm.  Fortunately, the majority of such injuries are seldom 

critical.



But, there are other, less-obvious causes of shoulder or arm pain.

Each is distinguished by where it is felt, whether it comes on

suddenly or over time, when it is at its worst, if the pain extends

to other joints in your body, and if other symptoms -- such as

swelling, numbness, tingling, fever, fatigue, and insomnia -- 

accompany the pain.  The causes of shoulder and arm pain include 

tendonitis, bursitis, arthritis, and gout.  Such pain may also result 

from a reaction to medications such as penicillin, anti-anxiety drugs 

and oral contraceptives.  Whiplash injuries, common in auto accidents, 

can also cause shoulder and arm pain.



Shoulder and arm pain may be referred from some other region of the 

body, as when someone suffering a heart attack feels pain in the left 

shoulder and down the left arm.  The pain may also be referred from 

nerves associated with the joints in the upper spine or "trigger 

points" in the back, which are particularly responsive to chiropractic 

spinal adjustments designed to treat such problems.



WHAT CAN CHIROPRACTIC DO?

Your chiropractor will examine you and conduct diagnostic tests

to determine exactly what is causing your shoulder or arm pain.

Because the causes and the seriousness of different conditions are

so varied, it is important to pinpoint the cause and begin the most

appropriate treatment.  He or she will discover if your problem is

mild and transitory or serious and likely to trouble you for a long

time.  A broken bone cannot be treated in the same manner as bursitis 

or tendonitis.  Arthritis and gout call for different care than pain 

originating in nerves supplying the shoulder and arm.  Your chiropractor 

will decide which treatment will be best for you and if referral to a 

specialist will be necessary.



Chiropractic can be successfully employed to deal with so-called

frozen shoulder, a severe inflammation technically known as

adhesive capsulitis.  Chiropractors are accustomed to relieving

painful trigger points between the spine and shoulder. Many

chiropractors, especially those with additional training in sports

medicine, are experienced in the care and rehabilitation of

professional and amateur athletes who have injured their

shoulders or arms.  And all chiropractors can help you modify

your habits and lifestyle to protect yourself from arm and shoulder

injuries and ailments.



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