If these symptoms are what you keep searching for answers as to why, this is the right article for you:

1. My upper arm hurts when I raise it
2. My shoulder pain is radiating down my arm to fingers
3. Is there rotator cuff treatment without surgery?
4. My shoulders hurt when I am sleeping

Get some answers here and if you think that you need to talk through your pain with our doctors, let us know.

Most of us don’t realize how much we depend on having our shoulders functioning properly until they don’t. Lifting, reaching, and even simple gestures can be excruciating painful (or impossible) if you’re suffering from rotator cuff syndrome. This term encompasses a range of injuries and degenerative conditions that can cause pain and interfere with the normal flexibility and range of motion of the shoulder, and effectively treating the symptoms depends on the root cause of the problem.

Many people fear that shoulder pain will inevitably mean reliance on medication to obtain relief or major surgery, but this is not always the case. Chiropractic care can often help rehabilitate the rotator cuff, assisting in restoring function and relieving pain without invasive treatments or drugs.

Understanding the Rotator Cuff and Possible Problems

The rotator cuff is made up of a group of four muscles and their tendons that cover your shoulder and attach to your shoulder blade (scapula)—the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis (SITS). These stabilize your shoulder and allow for a full range of movement while preventing dislocation of the joint. The subacromial bursa (a fluid-filled sac) acts as a cushion between the tendons and the overlying bone and reduces friction so the tendons can glide freely. However, any of these structures can potentially be injured, making shoulder movement painful.

Potential issues can include rotator cuff tendonitis (mild tendon inflammation), shoulder bursitis (inflamed bursa), rotator cuff impingement (when the rotator cuff tendons are intermittently trapped and compressed), calcific tendinopathy (when bone forms within the rotator cuff tendon). More serious injuries, such as a partial-thickness rotator cuff tear (PTT) or full-thickness tear (FTT) may require surgery to repair. If you begin to experience pain in your shoulder, whether after an accident or injury or gradually, it is better to seek care as soon as possible, as determining the underlying cause is essential for finding effective treatment.

Symptoms of Rotator Cuff Syndrome

While each potential rotator cuff injury will be accompanied by slightly different symptoms, discomfort accompanying certain types of movement are usually a clear sign that the rotator cuff is affected. These include:

• Experiencing an arc of pain when your arm is overhead or at shoulder height
• Hearing/feeling clicking when your arm is overhead or at shoulder height
• Feeling shoulder pain when lying on the affected shoulder
• Having shoulder muscle weakness or pain when trying to reach or lift an object
• Suffering shoulder pain when putting your hand behind your head or back
• Feeling shoulder pain when reaching over your opposite shoulder, as in reaching for a seat belt

Pain may not be confined to the shoulder itself; it can extend from the top of the shoulder to the elbow. In more severe rotator cuff injuries, you may also continue to experience shoulder pain when you are at rest.

How Chiropractic Care Can Help Rotator Cuff Recovery

The most frustrating part of dealing with a rotator cuff problem is how the stiffness, chronic pain, and inflammation affect even the simplest of daily tasks. Nobody enjoys discovering how much they rely on their shoulder because unloading the dishwasher is too painful. Chiropractic care can help address the inflammation and dysfunction to help relieve pain and restore natural movement to the joint.

This is because chiropractic care is focused on restoring and maintaining correct musculoskeletal alignment. While each treatment plan must be individualized to address each patient’s unique concerns, they can include:

• Spinal manipulation to restore balance to improperly aligned muscles and alleviate pinched nerves
• Shoulder readjustments to improve functionality
• Exercises to increase flexibility, strength, and range of motion in the rotator cuff muscles
• Massage and relaxation techniques to rehabilitate shoulder muscles
• Application of ice and/or heat to reduce inflammation

At Divine Spine, our state-of-the-art gentle chiropractic method uses precise, computerized adjustments to address misalignments. We offer on-site X-rays to get immediate insight into the source of your shoulder pain so we can quickly develop a personalized treatment plan that gets you on the road to feeling better without further delays. If you’re looking for drug-free, noninvasive alternatives to relieve your shoulder pain, we are here to help. To schedule your consultation, contact us here today.