Friday, November 14, 2014

Shoulder Pain Sufferers Find Relief With Chiropractic Care

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.

Whereas traditional medicine tends to focus on treating the symptoms of pain, chiropractic care is primarily concerned with finding and eliminating the source. The patient's treatment plan will be devised based on the practitioner's accurate diagnosis of the condition responsible for the discomfort.

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.

Once the chiropractor has identified the problem, the client will begin therapy. Spinal adjustments are the front-line treatment used by most practitioners. Manual pressure applied is effective for restoring alignment to vertebrae that have shifted out of place. This technique can be used on the cervical spine and also on the shoulder joint itself if necessary. Correcting misalignment relieves swelling and inflammation of the soft tissues surrounding the joint.

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.

The chiropractic approach to healing shoulder pain presents a welcome change from the traditional treatments mainstream doctors normally employ, which includes injections, and the use of steroid compounds or NSAID medications that only temporarily reduce the discomfort but do not eliminate the source of the problem which in fact prolongs the issue.




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