Shoulder & Arm Pain
Shoulder and arm pain treatment in South Bristol
At our South Bristol clinic, our chiropractors and osteopaths are experts in assessing, diagnosing and treating the root cause of shoulder pain, helping you return to normal movement as quickly as possible. Harry Kauntze, chiropractor at the clinic explains: “Whether you are dealing with rotator cuff pain, frozen shoulder, nerve pain, or sports related pain, our experienced chiropractors and osteopaths provide personalised, evidence-based, hands-on shoulder pain treatment, designed to relieve pain and improve mobility.”
Symptoms of shoulder and arm conditions
Made up of bones (humerus, scapula and clavicle or collar bone), muscles (including the rotator cuff muscles), ligaments, tendons and nerves, the ‘shoulder joint’ is actually composed of four separate joints working together. Of all the joints in the body it has the greatest degree of motion which can make it vulnerable. As a result of this, shoulder pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints we see in the clinic. Symptoms can include:
- sharp pain in the shoulder when lifting your arm
- weakness or reduced movement
- shoulder pain at night or when lying on your shoulder
- pain radiating down the arm
- stiffness or “locking”
Shoulder pain can also be referred pain from your neck. Referred neck pain can be felt over the shoulder blade or in the upper outer arm. If the pain in your shoulder comes with a tingling sensation, it is more likely to be caused by a problem in the neck.
Common types of shoulder and arm pain
Shoulder and arm pain can make everyday activities like lifting, driving, or even sleeping difficult. To find out more about the different types of shoulder and arm pain, including the symptoms commonly associated with them, click on the headings below.
Rotator cuff injury or tendinopathy
Caused by caused by damage, irritation, inflammation or degeneration of the tendons that stabilize the shoulder joint, rotator cuff injury or tendinopathy is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain. Symptoms include weakness and pain when lifting the arm and often worsening with overhead movement, limited mobility and pain radiating down the arm. It can also disturb sleep.
Shoulder impingement syndrome
A type of rotator cuff disorder is shoulder impingement syndrome, characterised by the compression or pinching of rotator cuff tendons. Frequently seen in athletes and manual labourers, common causes include repetitive overhead activities (swimming, tennis), heavy lifting, or structural issues like bone spurs that narrow the space for the tendons. Symptoms include pain when raising your arm overhead or pain at the top/outer side of the shoulder, particularly when lifting the arm overhead or reaching behind the back. Pain is often worse at night or when resting on the affected side.
Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
Symptoms of frozen shoulder include pain, severe stiffness and reduced movement / mobility in the shoulder joint. It occurs when the connective tissue surrounding the shoulder joint becomes inflamed, thickens, and tightens, restricting movement. Common causes of frozen shoulder include prolonged immobilization due to injury or surgery, diabetes, and other metabolic issues, though the exact cause is often unknown.
Shoulder bursitis
Shoulder bursitis is the inflammation of the bursa, a small, fluid-filled sac that cushions the shoulder joint, often causing pain (particularly with overhead movement and when sleeping on the affected side), swelling, and reduced mobility. It is mainly caused by repetitive strain injury, or underlying conditions like arthritis.
Shoulder arthritis
Shoulder arthritis is a chronic condition characterized by inflammation in the shoulder joint, leading to the progressive breakdown of cartilage. While osteoarthritis is the most common type of shoulder arthritis, typically affecting those over 50 due to ‘wear and tear’, shoulder arthritis can also be caused by injury or disease. Symptoms of shoulder arthritis include deep shoulder pain, stiffness and reduced motion, grinding or popping during movement of the shoulder joint, shoulder pain at night, weakness and swelling.
Trapped nerve in the shoulder or neck
A trapped nerve in the neck or shoulder (cervical radiculopathy) occurs when surrounding tissues compress a nerve root, causing sharp, radiating pain, numbness, tingling (‘pins and needles’), and muscle weakness in the neck, shoulder, arm or hand. Common causes include disc herniation, arthritis, injury or repetitive strain.
Tennis elbow / golfer’s elbow
Symptoms of tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow include elbow pain, reduced grip strength, radiating pain down the forearm to the wrist, and stiffness / reduced mobility. While tennis elbow / golfer’s elbow is often caused by repetitive arm movements such as repetitive gripping or twisting or repeatedly hitting backhand shots or swinging of golf clubs, it can also be related to shoulder weakness, which can result in overcompensation by the elbow tendons and subsequent elbow pain. As such, even if pain is only felt in the elbow, it may be that the entire kinetic chain of the neck, shoulder and arm need to be investigated and treated to relieve compensation strain.
Effective shoulder pain treatment in South Bristol
Chiropractors and osteopaths are trained to assess, diagnose and treat all musculoskeletal conditions, including shoulder and arm pain. When you visit our South Bristol clinic for shoulder and arm pain treatment, you will first receive a full assessment. This will involve taking details about your condition, current health and medical history and performing a physical examination. Your practitioner may refer you for additional tests, such as X-rays, MRI scans or blood tests if necessary. Your practitioner will then explain what is causing the problem, what can be done and what you can expect from treatment. After you have had your assessment and agreed on the proposed plan of management, treatment can begin.
Harry Kauntze, chiropractor at The Bristol Back Pain Clinic explains how treatment can help with shoulder pain: “Identifying the cause of pain and giving our patients a clear understanding of the problem and how we can treat it are the first steps to recovery. As shoulder pain isn’t always directly caused by a problem in the shoulder joint, an accurate diagnosis is key to recovery. Once we have established what the problem is, we are able to use a range of effective treatments for shoulder pain to help manage symptoms and provide improvement.”
Chiropractic and osteopathic treatment for shoulder and arm pain
Our chiropractors and osteopaths use a number of different manual techniques to provide shoulder pain relief including spinal adjustments, soft tissue massage, and mobilisation, which can help reduce stiffness and inflammation, release tension, and improve mobility and the range of motion in your shoulder. Our practitioners can also offer postural and lifestyle advice to help with shoulder pain, as well as providing tailored stretches and shoulder rehabilitation exercises to help improve shoulder functionality and strength.
So, if you are experiencing shoulder and arm pain that lasts for more than a few days, the pain is getting worse or spreading down your arm, you have limited movement or stiffness, or pain is affecting sleep or daily activities, book an appointment with one of our shoulder and arm pain specialists for evidence-based treatment that focuses on long-term results, not just short-term relief.
