Shoulder Pain Chiropractic Care

Shoulder Pain: What is it?

The shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in the body, allowing you to reach, lift, throw, and perform countless daily activities. Because of its complex structure and wide range of movement, it is also particularly vulnerable to injury and pain.

Shoulder pain is a common complaint, affecting up to one in three people at some point in their lives. According to HealthHub Singapore, 1 in 3 Singaporeans experience shoulder pain in their lives. It can arise from the joint itself or from the surrounding muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues that support shoulder movement. Depending on the cause, shoulder pain may affect your ability to work, exercise, sleep, or perform everyday tasks comfortably.

Common Causes of Shoulder Pain

Overuse injuries: Repetitive movements from sports, work, or daily activities can place strain on the muscles, tendons, and ligaments surrounding the shoulder
Arthritis: Age-related wear and tear or inflammatory conditions can affect the shoulder joint, leading to pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility.
Frozen shoulder: Also known as adhesive capsulitis, frozen shoulder occurs when the shoulder capsule becomes inflamed and tight, causing pain and progressive loss of movement.
Rotator Cuff Injuries and Shoulder Impingement Syndrome: The rotator cuff muscles and tendons help stabilise and move the shoulder. Irritation, inflammation, or tears in these tissues can result in pain, weakness, and difficulty lifting the arm.
Bursitis: Inflammation of the bursa, small fluid-filled sacs that cushion the shoulder joint, can cause pain and discomfort, particularly during movement.
Shoulder instability: When the shoulder joint is excessively loose or unstable, it may lead to pain, weakness, or recurrent dislocations.
Fractures: A broken bone in or around the shoulder can cause significant pain, swelling, and limited movement.

Common Symptoms of Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain can manifest in various ways, including:

Aching or throbbing pain: A dull, constant ache in the shoulder joint.
Sharp pain: Sudden, intense pain, often associated with specific movements.
Weakness: Difficulty lifting or carrying objects.
Stiffness: Limited range of motion and difficulty moving the shoulder.
Night pain: Discomfort that interferes with sleep.

Finding Relief

While over-the-counter pain relievers and rest can provide temporary relief, addressing the underlying cause is crucial for long-term recovery.

Here are some self-care tips:

Ice and heat therapy:
Apply ice to reduce inflammation and heat to relax muscles.

Gentle exercises:
Maintain shoulder mobility with gentle stretches and exercises.

Be mindful of posture:
Poor posture can place extra stress on the shoulder and upper back. Try to keep your shoulders relaxed and avoid prolonged slouching.

When to Seek Professional Help

If your shoulder pain persists, worsens, or begins to affect your daily activities despite self-care measures, it is important to seek professional assessment. Shoulder pain is often more complex than it appears and may involve not only the shoulder joint itself, but also the shoulder blade, upper back, neck, or even irritated nerves originating from the cervical spine.

A chiropractor can perform a thorough evaluation to identify the underlying cause of your symptoms and develop a personalised treatment plan to help restore movement, improve function, and support your recovery.

How Chiropractic Can Help with Shoulder Pain

At My Chirocare, we focus on personalised treatment plans that are tailored to your specific needs and goals

Chiropractic adjustments: To improve overall alignment and reduce stress on the shoulder joint and its surrounding structures

Soft tissue therapy: A hands-on technique used to address muscle tension, tightness, and dysfunction that may contribute to pain and restricted movement. By improving the health and function of the muscles and surrounding tissues, it can help enhance the effectiveness of chiropractic adjustments, improve mobility, and support overall spinal function.

Advanced therapeutic technologies:
Combining safe and effective modern therapeutic technologies to promote quicker healing to tissues, reduce swelling and inflammation, promote neovascularisation, release muscle tension and strengthening/ reactivating muscles.

Rehabilitative exercises: Targeted rehabilitative exercises help improve shoulder mobility, strength, and stability, supporting recovery and reducing the risk of recurring shoulder pain.

Don't let shoulder pain limit your activities.

By addressing the root cause of your shoulder pain, chiropractic care can help restore function, reduce pain, and prevent future injuries.

Schedule an appointment with our chiropractors today to start your journey to a pain-free shoulder.