Shoulder pain is a very common complaint in chiropractic practice, affecting almost half of us at some point in our lives as there are many causes of the problem.
Treating the pain with painkillers or injections, without treating the cause, only give you short-term help.
First of all, a functional assessment needs to be performed to identify the underlying problem. Dealing with the underlying problem will help you in the long term. Secondly, we have to make a diagnosis, and after that, the treatment of your shoulder pain can begin.
Manipulation and mobilisation form part of our treatment. But if your shoulder is too painful, we have other ways of helping your shoulder pain, such as Shockwave Therapy, Low Level Laser Therapy and TECAR treatment.
We have listed some of the most common conditions here to help you give you an idea of what they are and what chiropractic treatment can do to help you.
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The sooner you get the right care for shoulder pain, the faster you can start feeling better and get back to your normal activities. Acting early also helps prevent the problem from becoming long-term or coming back again.
If you are not sure what is causing your shoulder pain, or if you are unsure about the best way to treat it, it is a good idea to see a chiropractor. To be effective, treatment needs to target the actual cause of your pain—not just the symptoms.
Pain that doesn’t get better after a few days.
Shoulder pain that keeps returning, even if it usually goes away on its own.
Trouble carrying things or using your arm normally.
An injury that makes your shoulder look out of place or misshapen.
Pain that wakes you up at night or pain even when you are resting.
Not being able to lift your arm.
Swelling or bruising around your shoulder or arm.
Signs of infection, like fever, redness, warmth, or swelling.
The best treatment for shoulder pain depends on what is actually causing it. That is why we need to make an accurate diagnosis before starting any treatment.
If you are not sure what is wrong, please get professional advice before trying to treat it yourself. Just keep in mind: simply resting and taking painkillers might ease your pain for now, but they will not fix the underlying issue.
Here is a list of some of the most common causes of shoulder pain. For a more detailed explanation, please click on the condition.
When the structures in the neck and mid back are painful, the pain is often felt in the shoulder. It is important to remember this. Your chiropractor will always examine your neck and mid-back when you come in for shoulder pain.
One of the most common causes of shoulder pain is bursitis and tendinitis of the rotator cuff musculature, causing impingement syndrome.
Different degrees of rotator cuff tears can occur. If the tendons of the rotator cuff separate from the bone, surgery is sometimes necessary.
Also called ‘adhesive capsulitis’, it is a condition that leads to severely restricted movement of the shoulder. It is not as common as people think and is often misdiagnosed.
Calcific tendinitis is a condition of calcium deposits within a tendon, most commonly within the rotator cuff tendons. Treatment of calcific tendinitis depends on the extent of symptoms.
Instability is a problem that causes a loose or unstable joint. Instability can be caused by a traumatic injury (dislocation), or may develop over time. This can occur with or without producing a secondary impingement syndrome.
A dislocation is a traumatic injury that occurs when the ball part of the shoulder joint (top of the arm bone) slips out of the socket (part of the shoulder blade).
Also called an A/C separation, these injuries are the result of a disruption of the acromioclavicular joint. This is a very different injury from a glenohumeral dislocation.
There are several patterns of a torn labrum and the type of treatment depends on the specific injury.
Shoulder arthritis is less common than arthritis of the hip and knee, but when severe may require a joint replacement surgery. However, arthritic changes are more common in the acromioclavicular joint between the collarbone and the shoulder blade.
The upper part of the biceps tendon can rupture and cause shoulder pain.
It is important to remember that pain from the gallbladder can be felt over the right shoulder, and pain from the pancreas can be felt over the left shoulder. Most importantly, heart attacks can refer pain into the left shoulder and arm. Chiropractors are trained in medical diagnosis, and one of the priorities in the examination is to rule out more serious medical conditions before any treatment can start.
✅ Rest
Resting your shoulder is often the first step, giving inflammation a chance to settle down. But be careful — resting too long can cause the shoulder to stiffen up, leading to a frozen shoulder.
✅ Ice & heat
Using ice packs or heat pads is one of the simplest ways to ease pain and reduce swelling. Just be sure you’re applying them to the right area. If you’re unsure, ask us!
✅ Mobilisation
It is aimed at improving the movement and mobility of the shoulder join and is done within your comfort levels.
✅ Stretching
Gentle stretching can help loosen tight muscles and tendons around your shoulder. But certain stretches could actually make things worse, depending on your condition — so always get guidance first.
✅ Exercise
Rehabilitation exercises are a key part of getting your shoulder back to normal. But timing matters: doing the wrong exercise too soon can aggravate the problem.
✅ Anti-inflammatory treatment
NSAIDs (like ibuprofen) are commonly used for shoulder pain from arthritis, bursitis, or tendinitis. Just be aware of possible side effects with long-term use anThere are also natural alternatives your chiropractor can recommend.
Treatments like Low Level Laser, TECAR, or Shockwave are likely to benefit you more. They help with healing, reduce inflammation and get rid of scar tissue.
✅ Cortisone injections
Cortisone is a strong anti-inflammatory medicine that can reduce swelling and pain in the shoulder. It’s not without risks, and shouldn’t be your only treatment — but it can be a helpful addition to chiropractic care. If you’d like, we can arrange for you to see one of our specialists to discuss whether a cortisone injection is right for you.
Chiropractic treatment for Acromio-Clavicular Tear. A shoulder dislocation is an injury that occurs when the top of the arm bone (humerus) loses contact with the socket of the shoulder blade (scapula)
Chiropractic treatment for Biceps Tendon Rupture. Most patients have preceding shoulder pain consistent with impingement syndrome or a rotator cuff tear.
Chiropractic treatment for calcific tendinitis. Calcific tendinitis is a condition that causes the formation of a small calcium deposit within the tendons of…
Chiropractic treatment is effective for frozen shoulder and shoulder pain. The term frozen shoulder is often used inappropriately…
Chiropractic treatment for Labral Tear. To compensate for the shallow socket, the shoulder joint has a cuff of cartilage called a labrum, which can tear during trauma.
Chiropractic treatment for rotator cuff tear. The rotator cuff is the name for the tendons that surround the shoulder joint. The rotator cuff is the most important group of muscles giving it support.
Chiropractic treatment for Shoulder Arthritis. It is much less common to have osteoarthritis of the gleno-humeral joint than in, for instance, weight bearing joints such as the hips and knees.
Chiropractic treatment for shoulder dislocation. A shoulder dislocation is an injury that occurs when the top of the arm bone (humerus) loses contact with the socket of the shoulder blade (scapula).
Chiropractic treatment for sub-acromial bursitis (or shoulder bursitis) and rotator cuff tendonitis, two conditions that often occur simultaneously, is always aimed at dealing with the underlying cause, rather than symptomatic relief.
Chiropractic treatment for shoulder instability. Instability is a problem that occurs when the structures that surround the gleno-humeral joint do not work to maintain the ball within its socket.