Chronic Low Back Pain: Which Treatment Is More Effective?

Chronic Low Back Pain

For patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP), treatment guidelines recommend a non-surgical approach as the FIRST-LINE treatment. Ideally, the goal would be to avoid an initial surgery unless it’s absolutely indicated. That means, unless there is loss of bowel or bladder control or retention (which represents a medical emergency) or if there is progressive neurological motor and sensory loss, one can safely avoid surgery and conservatively manage the condition.

Interestingly enough, a systematic review of the results from three randomized controlled studies carried out in Norway and the United Kingdom found the outcomes or results between the surgical fusion vs. non-surgical treatment of patients with cLBP showed NO DIFFERENCE at an 11-year follow-up!

Studies have shown chiropractic to be highly beneficial for acute and chronic low back pain cases. In one study, researchers reviewed data on 72,326 cLBP patients in the Medicare system who received one of four possible treatment combinations between 2006 and 2012: 1) chiropractic only; 2) chiropractic followed by conventional medical care (CMC); 3) CMC followed by chiropractic; 4) CMC alone.

The research team found that chiropractic care alone (group 1) resulted in the lowest costs, and these patients had lower rates of back surgery and shorter episodes of care.

The group receiving CMC alone (group 4) had the highest costs, with the second and third groups being similar—both costing less and being more effective than CMC alone.

The conclusion of the study reads, “These findings support initial CMT [chiropractic manipulative therapy] use in the treatment of, and possibly broader chiropractic management of, older multiply-comorbid cLBP patients.”

This article was originally posted here.

If you are experiencing chronic low back pain, please call our office for a complimentary consultation to see how chiropractic care may help you. Our thoughts on this article would be that we see people every day who get pain relief from chiropractic care.

Seattle Chiropractic Center

2326 Rainier Ave S

Seattle, WA 98144

206-201-0145

The post Chronic Low Back Pain: Which Treatment Is More Effective? appeared first on Seattle Chiropractic Center.

Chronic Low Back Pain: Which Treatment Is More Effective? posted first on https://seattlechiropracticcenter.wordpress.com/

Chronic Low Back Pain: Which Treatment Is More Effective?

Chronic Low Back Pain

For patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP), treatment guidelines recommend a non-surgical approach as the FIRST-LINE treatment. Ideally, the goal would be to avoid an initial surgery unless it’s absolutely indicated. That means, unless there is loss of bowel or bladder control or retention (which represents a medical emergency) or if there is progressive neurological motor and sensory loss, one can safely avoid surgery and conservatively manage the condition.

Interestingly enough, a systematic review of the results from three randomized controlled studies carried out in Norway and the United Kingdom found the outcomes or results between the surgical fusion vs. non-surgical treatment of patients with cLBP showed NO DIFFERENCE at an 11-year follow-up!

Studies have shown chiropractic to be highly beneficial for acute and chronic low back pain cases. In one study, researchers reviewed data on 72,326 cLBP patients in the Medicare system who received one of four possible treatment combinations between 2006 and 2012: 1) chiropractic only; 2) chiropractic followed by conventional medical care (CMC); 3) CMC followed by chiropractic; 4) CMC alone.

The research team found that chiropractic care alone (group 1) resulted in the lowest costs, and these patients had lower rates of back surgery and shorter episodes of care.

The group receiving CMC alone (group 4) had the highest costs, with the second and third groups being similar—both costing less and being more effective than CMC alone.

The conclusion of the study reads, “These findings support initial CMT [chiropractic manipulative therapy] use in the treatment of, and possibly broader chiropractic management of, older multiply-comorbid cLBP patients.”

This article was originally posted here.

If you are experiencing chronic low back pain, please call our office for a complimentary consultation to see how chiropractic care may help you. Our thoughts on this article would be that we see people every day who get pain relief from chiropractic care.

Seattle Chiropractic Center

2326 Rainier Ave S

Seattle, WA 98144

206-201-0145

The post Chronic Low Back Pain: Which Treatment Is More Effective? appeared first on Seattle Chiropractic Center.

Chronic Low Back Pain: Which Treatment Is More Effective? syndicated from http://seattlechiropracticcenter.com/

Chronic Low Back Pain: Which Treatment Is More Effective? posted first on https://seattlechiropracticcenter.wordpress.com/

10 Stretches In 10 Minutes For Complete Back Pain Relief And Improved Mobility

Lower Back Pain Relief Stretches

Lower back pain, and pain in hamstrings and legs is a common complaint among Americans across the country. Stress on your muscles can be caused by many different factors, but the most common reason is lifestyle stresses. Your body carries the stress just as much as your mind, and without the proper release, it could actually cause you physical pain.

But what most people don’t realize is that you can strengthen your body to relieve and prevent any future injuries. And the best part? All you need is a towel. That’s it. This routine can be performed at any time of the day, but for the best results we recommend trying it first thing in the morning to loosen up your body and get it ready for the day.

The Routine

What you’ll need is a normal sized towel, one that is long enough for you to lay down on. For some movements, some people might prefer the use of a pillow. But that’s it! Let’s get started.

Hip-Lift

This movement is great for relieving tension in your lower back and strengthening your support muscles (legs, glutes, and back).

Lie on your back on your towel with your arms at your sides with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Lift your hips toward the ceiling. Hold for 1 count, and then lower back down.Repeat the lifts for 1 minute, squeezing your glutes and hamstrings at the top of the movement. Be careful not to overarch your spine, as you could pull muscles in your back.

Toe Taps

Still lying on your towel with your arms on your sides, lift your feet, bending both knees to 90 degrees so your thighs are perpendicular to the floor. Now slowly and quietly tap your left toes to the floor, then your right. Alternate tapping your feet for 1 minute, but if you feel any lower back discomfort don’t touch your feet to the floor.

Single Front Leg Raises

This movement will help improve your balance while strengthening your thighs and glutes!Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding an end of the towel in each hand. Bend your right leg and raise it about 3 inches off the floor. Extend both arms in front of you at chest height keep your palms facing down, and keep the towel pulled taught. Keeping your arms straight, raise them above your head and hold for 3 counts, then return to chest height. Repeat this movement on each leg for 1 minute.

Squat With Kick-Back

Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. Sit back to a squat, bringing your fists close to your chin, then bring your left leg straight behind you while extending your arms forward. Return to the squat position, then repeat on the other side. Continue alternating sides for 1 minute. If you feel a strain on your lower back, bend less at the hips when extending your arms and leg.

Single Leg Squat With Towel

Stand with your feet together and place your right foot on top of your folded towel. Shifting your weight to your left leg, slide the towel out slowly to your right, then slowly return to the start position. Work this side for 45 seconds, keeping your elbows bent and your fists together near your chin. When you squat, your left knee should bend between 45 and 90 degrees. After 30 seconds, switch legs and do the squats and slides for another 30 seconds.

Towel Squats

This movement really works on your whole lower half, strengthening it and making it less susceptible to injury.

Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and your towel pulled tight in your hands in front of your chest. Squat down as if you were going to sit in a chair, keeping your weight over your heels. Squeeze your glutes as you return to the start position. Repeat this movement for 1 minute. As you continue, keep the weight in your heels, making sure your knees do not pass forward of your toes.

Plie

Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing out. Bring your arms out straight in front of you and lower into a squat. Come back up and repeat. Go as low into the squat as you can without letting your knees move past your toes or pulling your hamstring. Be sure to tuck your tailbone under and contract your glutes. Keep your torso tall, and don’t let your knees creep past your toes. Repeat this movement for 1 minute.

Lunges

Stand with your feet together with your hands on your hips. Step forward with your right leg, dropping your left knee to the floor as far as you can without letting your right knee pass your toe. Hold for 3 seconds and push through your right heel to return to the start position. Alternate legs and repeat for 1 minute.

Clam Dig With Rotation

This movement will improve the mobility and strength of your hips. Lie on your towel on your right side with your head cradled in your right palm. Bend your knees in front of you 45 degrees. Keep your left elbow pressed into your side and your left hand on your right thigh. Lift your left leg up to the ceiling at about 90 degrees, keeping your hips stacked without rocking backwards and with your elbow pressed into your side.Hold at the top for 2 seconds before returning to start. Repeat for 30 seconds then switch sides.

Cool Down Stretch

After this routine, it’s important to stretch your muscles to ensure that they can repair themselves properly and grow stronger.

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, hold your towel tight in front of your chest. Bending at your hips, slowly reach through your hands and spine to the floor. Only bend as far as you can before feeling discomfort, but make sure to try and reach forward with your hands. Hold for 3 seconds, return to the start and slowly rotate from your hips to the left and right. Repeat this movement for 1 minute and you’re done!

This routine only takes 10 minutes of your morning for a life free from back, leg, and glute strain and pain!

If you are having low back pain, we can help! Give us a call at our Seattle Chiropractor office today for a complimentary consultation!

Seattle Chiropractic Center
2326 Rainier Ave S
Seattle, WA 98144
206-201-0145
http://goo.gl/fFPntF

---

This article was originally posted here.

 

The post 10 Stretches In 10 Minutes For Complete Back Pain Relief And Improved Mobility appeared first on Seattle Chiropractic Center.

10 Stretches In 10 Minutes For Complete Back Pain Relief And Improved Mobility syndicated from http://seattlechiropracticcenter.com/

10 Stretches In 10 Minutes For Complete Back Pain Relief And Improved Mobility posted first on https://seattlechiropracticcenter.wordpress.com/

10 Stretches In 10 Minutes For Complete Back Pain Relief And Improved Mobility

Lower Back Pain Relief Stretches

Lower back pain, and pain in hamstrings and legs is a common complaint among Americans across the country. Stress on your muscles can be caused by many different factors, but the most common reason is lifestyle stresses. Your body carries the stress just as much as your mind, and without the proper release, it could actually cause you physical pain.

But what most people don’t realize is that you can strengthen your body to relieve and prevent any future injuries. And the best part? All you need is a towel. That’s it. This routine can be performed at any time of the day, but for the best results we recommend trying it first thing in the morning to loosen up your body and get it ready for the day.

The Routine

What you’ll need is a normal sized towel, one that is long enough for you to lay down on. For some movements, some people might prefer the use of a pillow. But that’s it! Let’s get started.

Hip-Lift

This movement is great for relieving tension in your lower back and strengthening your support muscles (legs, glutes, and back).

Lie on your back on your towel with your arms at your sides with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Lift your hips toward the ceiling. Hold for 1 count, and then lower back down.Repeat the lifts for 1 minute, squeezing your glutes and hamstrings at the top of the movement. Be careful not to overarch your spine, as you could pull muscles in your back.

Toe Taps

Still lying on your towel with your arms on your sides, lift your feet, bending both knees to 90 degrees so your thighs are perpendicular to the floor. Now slowly and quietly tap your left toes to the floor, then your right. Alternate tapping your feet for 1 minute, but if you feel any lower back discomfort don’t touch your feet to the floor.

Single Front Leg Raises

This movement will help improve your balance while strengthening your thighs and glutes!Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding an end of the towel in each hand. Bend your right leg and raise it about 3 inches off the floor. Extend both arms in front of you at chest height keep your palms facing down, and keep the towel pulled taught. Keeping your arms straight, raise them above your head and hold for 3 counts, then return to chest height. Repeat this movement on each leg for 1 minute.

Squat With Kick-Back

Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. Sit back to a squat, bringing your fists close to your chin, then bring your left leg straight behind you while extending your arms forward. Return to the squat position, then repeat on the other side. Continue alternating sides for 1 minute. If you feel a strain on your lower back, bend less at the hips when extending your arms and leg.

Single Leg Squat With Towel

Stand with your feet together and place your right foot on top of your folded towel. Shifting your weight to your left leg, slide the towel out slowly to your right, then slowly return to the start position. Work this side for 45 seconds, keeping your elbows bent and your fists together near your chin. When you squat, your left knee should bend between 45 and 90 degrees. After 30 seconds, switch legs and do the squats and slides for another 30 seconds.

Towel Squats

This movement really works on your whole lower half, strengthening it and making it less susceptible to injury.

Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and your towel pulled tight in your hands in front of your chest. Squat down as if you were going to sit in a chair, keeping your weight over your heels. Squeeze your glutes as you return to the start position. Repeat this movement for 1 minute. As you continue, keep the weight in your heels, making sure your knees do not pass forward of your toes.

Plie

Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing out. Bring your arms out straight in front of you and lower into a squat. Come back up and repeat. Go as low into the squat as you can without letting your knees move past your toes or pulling your hamstring. Be sure to tuck your tailbone under and contract your glutes. Keep your torso tall, and don’t let your knees creep past your toes. Repeat this movement for 1 minute.

Lunges

Stand with your feet together with your hands on your hips. Step forward with your right leg, dropping your left knee to the floor as far as you can without letting your right knee pass your toe. Hold for 3 seconds and push through your right heel to return to the start position. Alternate legs and repeat for 1 minute.

Clam Dig With Rotation

This movement will improve the mobility and strength of your hips. Lie on your towel on your right side with your head cradled in your right palm. Bend your knees in front of you 45 degrees. Keep your left elbow pressed into your side and your left hand on your right thigh. Lift your left leg up to the ceiling at about 90 degrees, keeping your hips stacked without rocking backwards and with your elbow pressed into your side.Hold at the top for 2 seconds before returning to start. Repeat for 30 seconds then switch sides.

Cool Down Stretch

After this routine, it’s important to stretch your muscles to ensure that they can repair themselves properly and grow stronger.

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, hold your towel tight in front of your chest. Bending at your hips, slowly reach through your hands and spine to the floor. Only bend as far as you can before feeling discomfort, but make sure to try and reach forward with your hands. Hold for 3 seconds, return to the start and slowly rotate from your hips to the left and right. Repeat this movement for 1 minute and you’re done!

This routine only takes 10 minutes of your morning for a life free from back, leg, and glute strain and pain!

If you are having low back pain, we can help! Give us a call at our Seattle Chiropractor office today for a complimentary consultation!

Seattle Chiropractic Center
2326 Rainier Ave S
Seattle, WA 98144
206-201-0145
http://goo.gl/fFPntF

---

This article was originally posted here.

 

The post 10 Stretches In 10 Minutes For Complete Back Pain Relief And Improved Mobility appeared first on Seattle Chiropractic Center.

10 Stretches In 10 Minutes For Complete Back Pain Relief And Improved Mobility posted first on https://seattlechiropracticcenter.wordpress.com/

What causes shoulder pain?

What is shoulder pain?

Your neck and shoulders contain muscles, bones, nerves, arteries, and veins, as well as many ligaments and other supporting structures. Many conditions can cause pain in the neck and shoulder area. Some are life-threatening (such as heart attack and major trauma), and others are not so dangerous (such as simple strains or contusions). Since the majority of them are just musculoskeletal, they can usually be helped by your seattle chiropractor.

So, what causes shoulder pain?

The most common cause of shoulder pain and neck pain is injury to the soft tissues, including the muscles, tendons, and ligaments within these structures. This can occur from whiplash or other injury to these areas. Degenerative arthritis of the spine in the neck (cervical spine) can pinch nerves that can cause both neck pain and shoulder pain. Degenerative disc disease in the neck (cervical spondylosis) can cause local neck pain or radiating pain from disc herniation, causing pinching of nerves (cervical radiculopathy). Abnormal conditions involving the spinal cord, heart, lungs, and some abdominal organs also can cause neck and shoulder pain. Here are some examples:

• Broken collarbone: Falling on your outstretched arm can cause your collarbone to break. This is particularly common when cyclers fall off of their bicycles.
• Bursitis: A bursa is a sac over the joints to provide a cushion to the joints and muscles. These bursae can become swollen, stiff, and painful after injuries.
• Heart attacks: Although the problem is the heart, heart attacks can cause shoulder or neck pain, known as “referred” pain.
• Broken shoulder blade: An injury to the shoulder blade usually is associated with relatively forceful trauma.
• Rotator cuff injuries: The rotator cuff is a group of tendons that support the shoulder. These tendons can be injured during lifting, when playing sports with a lot of throwing, or after repetitive use over a long time. This can lead to pain with motion of the shoulder due to shoulder impingement syndrome and eventually to a chronic loss of range of motion of the shoulder (frozen shoulder).
• Shoulder or A-C separation: The collarbone (clavicle) and shoulder blade (scapula) are connected by ligaments. With trauma to the shoulder, these ligaments can be stretched or torn.
• Whiplash injury: Injury to the ligamentous and muscular structures of the neck and shoulder can be caused by sudden acceleration or deceleration, as in a car accident. This can also cause muscle spasms in the neck and shoulder areas.
• Tendonitis: The tendons connect the muscles to the bones. With strain, the tendons can become swollen and cause pain. This is also referred to as tendinitis.
• Gallbladder disease: This can cause a pain referred to the right shoulder.
• Any cause of inflammation under the diaphragm can also cause referred pain in the shoulder.

What are the symptoms and signs of shoulder pain?

Pain: All pain seems sharp, but pain can also be described as dull, burning, crampy, shocklike, or stabbing. Pain can lead to a stiff neck or shoulder and loss of range of motion. Headache may result. The character of each symptom is important to your doctor because the particular features can be clues to the cause of your pain.
Weakness: Weakness can be due to severe pain from muscle or bone movement. The nerves that supply the muscles, however, also could be injured. It is important to distinguish true weakness (muscle or nerve damage) from inability or reluctance to move because of pain or inflammation.
Numbness: If the nerves are pinched, bruised, or cut, you may not be able to feel things normally. This may cause a burning or tingling sensation, a loss of sensation, or an altered sensation similar to having your arm “fall asleep.”
Coolness: A cool arm or hand suggests that the arteries, veins, or both have been injured or blocked. This may mean that not enough blood is getting into the arm.
Color changes: A blue or white tinge to the skin of your arm or shoulder is another sign that the arteries or veins could have been injured. Redness can indicate infection or inflammation. Rashes may be noted as well. Bruising may be evident.
Swelling: This may be generalized to the whole arm or may be localized over the involved structures (a fracture area or an inflamed bursa, for example). Muscle spasms or tightness may simulate actual swelling. Dislocation or deformity may cause a swollen appearance or, paradoxically, a sunken area.
Deformity: A deformity may be present if you have a fracture or a dislocation. Certain ligament tears can cause an abnormal positioning of the bony structures.

When should I seek medical care?

Whenever you have a question, basically. However, if weakness becomes progressive or numbness and pain start to worsen, call your doctor or immediately go to a hospital emergency department.

For milder cases, basic home-care measures are adequate until your doctor can see you, like ice or heat
In many cases, simple injuries, such as strains and bruises, heal themselves and do not require an office visit.
For persisting pain in the shoulder or neck, an evaluation by a health-care professional is appropriate.
Again, if you have severe or worsening pain, weakness, numbness, coolness, deformity, or color changes, you should go to a hospital emergency department immediately.
If you develop a high fever (temperature < 102.5 F), severe headache, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, or sweatiness, or if you develop the sudden onset of numbness or weakness, particularly on one side of the body, call 911 for emergency services to go to the nearest emergency department by ambulance.

How is shoulder pain diagnosed?

A thorough history and physical examination are usually adequate to establish the diagnosis for most injuries. However, your doctor may do a series of tests, depending on the cause of your injury, the location of your shoulder pain, response to movement or your other symptoms.

X-rays: These may be done if you have tenderness to touch along the bony areas of your spine or shoulder, a history of significant trauma, deformity of the area, or your doctor suspects a condition related to your heart or lungs.
ECG: An electrocardiogram may be ordered if you also have chest pain, shortness of breath, and risk factors for a heart attack (such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or tobacco use).
Blood tests: These may be performed if you also have chest pain, shortness of breath, and risk factors for a heart attack (such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or tobacco use) or if your doctor suspects an underlying illness as the cause of the pain.
CT scan: This may be performed when X-rays are difficult to read or suggest a fracture, when more detail is needed, or when other structures are suspected to be the source of the pain (possibly the large artery known as the aorta leading from the heart or the lungs).
MRI: An MRI is often not indicated during an initial evaluation but can be helpful in assessing ongoing pain and failure to respond to basic treatment measures.

This article was originally posted here.

---

If you are experiencing shoulder pain, please call our office. Seattle Chiropractic Center always offers a complimentary consultation to see if we can help. You can find us here:

Seattle Chiropractic Center
2326 Rainier Ave S
Seattle, WA 98144
206-201-0145

 

The post What causes shoulder pain? appeared first on Seattle Chiropractic Center.

What causes shoulder pain? syndicated from http://seattlechiropracticcenter.com/

What causes shoulder pain? posted first on https://seattlechiropracticcenter.wordpress.com/

What causes shoulder pain?

What is shoulder pain?

Your neck and shoulders contain muscles, bones, nerves, arteries, and veins, as well as many ligaments and other supporting structures. Many conditions can cause pain in the neck and shoulder area. Some are life-threatening (such as heart attack and major trauma), and others are not so dangerous (such as simple strains or contusions). Since the majority of them are just musculoskeletal, they can usually be helped by your seattle chiropractor.

So, what causes shoulder pain?

The most common cause of shoulder pain and neck pain is injury to the soft tissues, including the muscles, tendons, and ligaments within these structures. This can occur from whiplash or other injury to these areas. Degenerative arthritis of the spine in the neck (cervical spine) can pinch nerves that can cause both neck pain and shoulder pain. Degenerative disc disease in the neck (cervical spondylosis) can cause local neck pain or radiating pain from disc herniation, causing pinching of nerves (cervical radiculopathy). Abnormal conditions involving the spinal cord, heart, lungs, and some abdominal organs also can cause neck and shoulder pain. Here are some examples:

• Broken collarbone: Falling on your outstretched arm can cause your collarbone to break. This is particularly common when cyclers fall off of their bicycles.
• Bursitis: A bursa is a sac over the joints to provide a cushion to the joints and muscles. These bursae can become swollen, stiff, and painful after injuries.
• Heart attacks: Although the problem is the heart, heart attacks can cause shoulder or neck pain, known as “referred” pain.
• Broken shoulder blade: An injury to the shoulder blade usually is associated with relatively forceful trauma.
• Rotator cuff injuries: The rotator cuff is a group of tendons that support the shoulder. These tendons can be injured during lifting, when playing sports with a lot of throwing, or after repetitive use over a long time. This can lead to pain with motion of the shoulder due to shoulder impingement syndrome and eventually to a chronic loss of range of motion of the shoulder (frozen shoulder).
• Shoulder or A-C separation: The collarbone (clavicle) and shoulder blade (scapula) are connected by ligaments. With trauma to the shoulder, these ligaments can be stretched or torn.
• Whiplash injury: Injury to the ligamentous and muscular structures of the neck and shoulder can be caused by sudden acceleration or deceleration, as in a car accident. This can also cause muscle spasms in the neck and shoulder areas.
• Tendonitis: The tendons connect the muscles to the bones. With strain, the tendons can become swollen and cause pain. This is also referred to as tendinitis.
• Gallbladder disease: This can cause a pain referred to the right shoulder.
• Any cause of inflammation under the diaphragm can also cause referred pain in the shoulder.

What are the symptoms and signs of shoulder pain?

Pain: All pain seems sharp, but pain can also be described as dull, burning, crampy, shocklike, or stabbing. Pain can lead to a stiff neck or shoulder and loss of range of motion. Headache may result. The character of each symptom is important to your doctor because the particular features can be clues to the cause of your pain.
Weakness: Weakness can be due to severe pain from muscle or bone movement. The nerves that supply the muscles, however, also could be injured. It is important to distinguish true weakness (muscle or nerve damage) from inability or reluctance to move because of pain or inflammation.
Numbness: If the nerves are pinched, bruised, or cut, you may not be able to feel things normally. This may cause a burning or tingling sensation, a loss of sensation, or an altered sensation similar to having your arm “fall asleep.”
Coolness: A cool arm or hand suggests that the arteries, veins, or both have been injured or blocked. This may mean that not enough blood is getting into the arm.
Color changes: A blue or white tinge to the skin of your arm or shoulder is another sign that the arteries or veins could have been injured. Redness can indicate infection or inflammation. Rashes may be noted as well. Bruising may be evident.
Swelling: This may be generalized to the whole arm or may be localized over the involved structures (a fracture area or an inflamed bursa, for example). Muscle spasms or tightness may simulate actual swelling. Dislocation or deformity may cause a swollen appearance or, paradoxically, a sunken area.
Deformity: A deformity may be present if you have a fracture or a dislocation. Certain ligament tears can cause an abnormal positioning of the bony structures.

When should I seek medical care?

Whenever you have a question, basically. However, if weakness becomes progressive or numbness and pain start to worsen, call your doctor or immediately go to a hospital emergency department.

For milder cases, basic home-care measures are adequate until your doctor can see you, like ice or heat
In many cases, simple injuries, such as strains and bruises, heal themselves and do not require an office visit.
For persisting pain in the shoulder or neck, an evaluation by a health-care professional is appropriate.
Again, if you have severe or worsening pain, weakness, numbness, coolness, deformity, or color changes, you should go to a hospital emergency department immediately.
If you develop a high fever (temperature < 102.5 F), severe headache, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, or sweatiness, or if you develop the sudden onset of numbness or weakness, particularly on one side of the body, call 911 for emergency services to go to the nearest emergency department by ambulance.

How is shoulder pain diagnosed?

A thorough history and physical examination are usually adequate to establish the diagnosis for most injuries. However, your doctor may do a series of tests, depending on the cause of your injury, the location of your shoulder pain, response to movement or your other symptoms.

X-rays: These may be done if you have tenderness to touch along the bony areas of your spine or shoulder, a history of significant trauma, deformity of the area, or your doctor suspects a condition related to your heart or lungs.
ECG: An electrocardiogram may be ordered if you also have chest pain, shortness of breath, and risk factors for a heart attack (such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or tobacco use).
Blood tests: These may be performed if you also have chest pain, shortness of breath, and risk factors for a heart attack (such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or tobacco use) or if your doctor suspects an underlying illness as the cause of the pain.
CT scan: This may be performed when X-rays are difficult to read or suggest a fracture, when more detail is needed, or when other structures are suspected to be the source of the pain (possibly the large artery known as the aorta leading from the heart or the lungs).
MRI: An MRI is often not indicated during an initial evaluation but can be helpful in assessing ongoing pain and failure to respond to basic treatment measures.

This article was originally posted here.

---

If you are experiencing shoulder pain, please call our office. Seattle Chiropractic Center always offers a complimentary consultation to see if we can help. You can find us here:

Seattle Chiropractic Center
2326 Rainier Ave S
Seattle, WA 98144
206-201-0145

 

The post What causes shoulder pain? appeared first on Seattle Chiropractic Center.

What causes shoulder pain? posted first on https://seattlechiropracticcenter.wordpress.com/

Home Remedies For Shoulder Pain