You may have been dealing with chronic shoulder pain for years or maybe you’re only recently trying to recover from a shoulder injury. Whatever the case may be, shoulder pain doesn’t have to be a regular part of your life. Instead of using pain medication to mask the problem, get to the root of the issue and work towards faster healing by seeing a chiropractor. A chiropractic doctor uses non-invasive medical techniques to manipulate the musculoskeletal system in order to facilitate healing and increase your range of motion. If you are suffering from shoulder pain, here are some techniques a chiropractor may use to help you.

How A Chiropractor Addresses Shoulder Pain

What Causes Shoulder Pain?
There can be several causes of shoulder pain, ranging from sudden acute pain to chronic pain that develops slowly over time. Your chiropractor will discuss your medical history and will feel and manipulate your shoulder to get a sense of the injury. Some common causes of shoulder pain include:

Arthritis
Overuse and repetitive use
Injuries such as falls
Frozen shoulder syndrome
Poor posture
Underlying medical conditions, such as fibromyalgia
Nerve pain
When accompanied by shortness of breath, shoulder pain may be a symptom of a heart attack

* If you suspect shoulder pain is being caused by a heart attack, call 911 immediately.

How Can A Chiropractor Help Reduce Shoulder Pain?
Your chiropractor can use various chiropractic techniques and a combination of techniques to relieve your shoulder pain. The type of technique(s) chosen will depend on how the injury occurred, how it affects you, and what the damage is. Your chiropractor may give you some at-home exercises to perform to strengthen the shoulder and relevant muscle groups. Some of the in-office techniques your chiropractor may use include:

Active Release Technique (ART®). This chiropractic technique requires your chiropractor to apply pressure to the area of injury while moving your shoulder to lengthen and shorten the ligaments in the treatment area. This combination of pressure and movement will help facilitate movement in the shoulder and can help release trapped nerves to relieve pain. To learn more about how ART® can address shoulder pain, read How Active Release Technique Can Treat Rotator Cuff And Other Shoulder Pain.

Cold Laser Therapy. By using the light energy of a low-powered laser, cold laser therapy helps to reduce inflammation and promote the regeneration of damaged tissue. This leads to increased blood flow and a faster healing time.

Shockwave Therapy. Also known as Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT), this form of chiropractic treatment uses high-energy sound waves that pass through the body. These soundwaves increase blood flow to the targeted area. This helps to break up fibrous scar tissue and facilitate healing, which can help relieve chronic soft tissue injuries and subsequent pain.

Shoulder Pain Relief From A Calgary Chiropractor

Whether your shoulder pain is acute or chronic, there are a variety of techniques a chiropractor can use to facilitate healing. At Shephard Health in Calgary, our staff uses the most advanced chiropractic care to get you back to pain-free living. At Shephard health, our Calgary chiropractors will create a customized treatment plan to address your unique injury and support your goals for recovery. With over 20 years of chiropractic experience, Dr. Jay Shephard and his team are committed to providing personalized treatment solutions to patients with thoughtful care and experienced competence. To schedule a no-obligation, complimentary consultation, call Shephard Health at 1-403-543-7499 or fill out the online contact form to book your appointment.

FAQ

Q: What are all of the chiropractic services Shephard Health offers for shoulder pain?
A: Besides the techniques listed above, Shephard Health can also address your shoulder pain using:

Q: Why choose Chiropractic?
A: Chiropractic care is one of the largest primary health care professions in Canada, and approximately four and a half million Canadians visit a chiropractor every year for drug-free, non-invasive therapy. Dr. Jay Shephard is a NW Calgary chiropractor who tailors your treatment plan to include various modalities and therapies in order to best address your health care needs. Before starting your treatment, we evaluate your current health and past history of illness and/or injury to diagnose disorders related to the spine, nervous system, and joints.

Q: Are all chiropractors trained to use Active Release Technique?
A: No, this is a specific technique that chiropractors must train to use. A chiropractor not ART® certified cannot perform this technique. Be sure that your ART® provider is certified for the type of injury or disorder for which you are seeking treatment. Professionals who are not credentialed to provide ART® treatments may inadvertently cause muscle and nerve damage by applying incorrect pressure to anatomical structures, causing undue pain or further injury. If it hurts, it is being performed incorrectly. At Shephard Health, Dr. Jay Shephard holds an advanced certification in Active Release Techniques and has been an active instructor of ART® since 1998.