SHOULDER PAIN FAQS in Tacoma

Our Proctor Chiropractic clinic in Tacoma, WA wants you to understand what is happening to your body. Here we will provide answers to commonly asked questions about shoulder pains and treatment.

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What are some common causes of shoulder pain?

Some of the possible shoulder pain causes are explained below:

• Dislocated shoulder – This is when the upper arm bone pops out of its socket. It often causes swelling, bruising, pain and joint immobility.
• Shoulder bursae inflammation – Also known as bursitis, this injury typically results from shoulder joint strain occurring when throwing a ball, lifting heavy objects overhead, or slip and fall impact.
• Frozen shoulder – The stiffness and pain of the adhesive capsulitis often occurs because of a stroke, fracture or surgery that causes arm immobility.
• Rotator cuff injury – Muscle or tendon tears or strains can cause a dull shoulder ache when you try to move your shoulder. The pain could progress worse, especially if repeatedly making overhead motions when working.
• Strains & sprains – You might experience these when playing sports if you have twisted your shoulder in a way that tore your ligaments and muscles. Lifting heavy objects at work or anytime you move your shoulder wrong you risk a strain or sprain.
• Tendinitis – This inflammation sometimes occurs in the shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees and heels when swinging a bat or a golf club or when swimming.

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How can I prevent arm or shoulder pain?

Practice sitting, standing and walking without slouching. Be careful when lifting objects over your head or when throwing balls during sports matches and watch how much weight you carry on your shoulders. Resist the temptation to sleep on a stack of pillows that could cause neck or shoulder pain, too.

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What can I do to temporarily ease arm and shoulder pain?

Place an ice pack on the inflamed area for 20-30 minutes. You could also try heat if the ice does not work repeating the action every 30 minutes for 20 minutes at a time.

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How can our Tacoma chiropractors alleviate or treat shoulder pain?

Our Tacoma chiropractor can help you manage shoulder pain using manual spinal manipulations. In addition, we could apply massage therapy to loosen up the muscles and soft tissue. We also treat some cases using a fascia release technique that contracts and relaxes muscles to improve circulation. Physical therapy exercises also can help you regain muscle strength, repair connective tissue, and manage pain.

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Contact Proctor Chiropractic to Schedule an Appointment

Call Proctor Chiropractic, your Tacoma, WA chiropractor to schedule an appointment. You can also contact us online or stop into our office at 3901 6th Ave, Tacoma, WA 98406 for more information.