Shoulder pain can be experienced in the front(clavicle) or the back(Scapula) of the shoulder for a variety of reasons at almost any age! Our Doctors treat shoulder pain for a variety of reasons from repetitive stress movements to sports injuries, There are several reasons for a variety of pain and discomfort in the shoulder area. We are very versed in the what & why of the shoulder so if you suffering from issues here, we can help
What is the shoulder & Clavicle Region?
We all know where the shoulder is located but it is a structure that promotes healthy upper limb movement like the pelvis does for the legs. The clavicle, scapula & humorous bones function atop the rib cage with a sling of muscles that wrap around the ribs & into the neck and spine. Their nerves are supplied by the nerve roots that exit the C4-7 which pass through the shoulder girdle to the arms and hands. There are a variety of reasons for pain and discomfort in these areas due the movements & use of the arms even sleeping patterns. With increased use of computers, smart phones & forward head carriage it is common to see spinal disfunction in the shoulders due to upper thoracic & cervical disfunction and degeneration.
Common Causes of Shoulder & Clavicle pain
- Tight pectoralis(chest) muscle and forward rounded shoulders.
- Anterior head carriage. Anterior muscle imbalance causes weakened muscles & increases arthritic changes. It eventually will destroy the lower cervical discs causing bulging & herniation eventually pinching the nerves to your arms/hands.
- Subluxated rib heads. Tight pectorals muscles coupled with shoulder extension or external rotation with an untimely breath can push a rib head off its costovertebral joint. This can feel like a sudden sharp pain with inhalation, gnawing pain in one spot between the shoulder blade & spine, & pain that travels along the intercostal nerves along the length of the rib(wrapping) & occasionally tingling down or under the arm even the fingers.
- Clavicle pain is more rare usually due to arm out fall injuries and athletes & people whom have worked hard repetitive jobs with their shoulders, &/or who roll in bed constantly to squirm from shoulder discomfort. Rare luxated medial SC(Sterno-clavicular joint) where the collar bone meets the sternum & AC where the Acromion of the shoulder blade meets the lateral collar bone. We check all of these joints for good movement & integrity when working with the shoulder.
Your Chiropractor Can Treat Shoulder & Clavicle Pain
We will help figure out the source of your pain with muscle & orthopedic testing. With a good history X-ray & examination of the neck, upper thoracic spine as well as the shoulder joints we will figure out if this is due to pinched nerves, mechanical disfunction or possible referred pain by something more serious. If you or someone you love has experienced pains in this region with no real explanation yet we can often find it, as often most medical causes are ruled out. Please call today to get it checked out, (704) 489-1999.