Arm, Elbow & Shoulder Pain

Except for trauma and a few other disease processes, pain of the upper extremities is mostly due to abnormal stress patterns that have slowly built up over years. Abnormal stress patterns start from the spine. The spine houses the nerve supply that controls the movement, and sensation of the upper extremity. Nerve supply can be reduced due to subluxations (bones out of place putting pressure on nerves), decrease in bone strength and muscle elasticity, discs losing their fluid and flexibility, arthritis, degeneration. When this happens muscles get overloaded, muscle fibres tear and/or stretch, the brain neurologically de-activates the area, other muscles try to compensate, arm movements are changed and the pattern begins to take hold. Once the nerve supply has been normalized, stress patterns have the ability to diminish. Adjustments combined with proper maintenance, an exercise program and most importantly a change in poor posture habits, will often allow for a full recovery.

Chiropractic Adjustments to the Neck Also Benefit the Elbow

Chiropractic adjustments to the spine of the neck (cervical spine) can produce a significant reduction in pain associated with tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis).

As part of the experiment, 5 women and 5 men with tennis elbow attended 2 experimental sessions on two separate days at least 48 hours apart. At each session, participants received either a cervical spine adjustment or a “sham” maneuver. Findings showed that the adjustments produced an immediate reduction in pain thresholds in both elbows and improved grip strength on the affected elbow.

Chiropractic Mitigates Shoulder Injury

A new analysis followed four patients with a common shoulder condition called shoulder impingement syndrome being cared for by a doctor of chiropractic. The study’s authors write that “at one month follow up all patients continued to be symptom free with full range of motion and complete return to daily activities.”

- Chiropractic and Osteopathy, September 2005