Shoulder pain can be a debilitating condition that affects your daily life. However, our advanced therapies may be the safe and effective non-surgical treatment option you’ve been looking for. At Ravenswood Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Chicago, our chiropractic physicians diagnose the cause of your shoulder pain and provide personalized treatment to help you feel better.

Causes of Shoulder Pain

The shoulder is a complicated ball and socket joint surrounded by a joint capsule. Many things can happen to make a shoulder joint sore and painful. Depending upon what is wrong with your shoulder, the pain can be sourced to the shoulder joint itself or to other areas outside the shoulder that “refer” pain to the shoulder joint.

How is Shoulder Pain Diagnosed?

Shoulder pain can be debilitating and affect your daily activities. Our team of experts will work with you to identify the root cause of your pain and provide the most advanced non-surgical treatments to alleviate your discomfort. Our goal is to help you regain your entire range of motion and return to your daily routine as quickly and safely as possible.

An Effective Treatment Starts with an Expert Diagnosis

When you come in for your first appointment, you’ll be seen by our chiropractic physician, who will take your health history and examine your shoulder. They’ll ask about your current and past health, how long you’ve been experiencing shoulder pain, and what remedies you’ve tried. During the exam, they’ll ask you to move your arm and shoulder in specific ways to determine if you feel any pain or weakness. They’ll also ask how your shoulder pain affects your daily life and what goals you have for treatment. Our team includes chiropractors, acupuncturists, physical therapy, and massage therapists, all dedicated to helping you find relief from shoulder pain.

A comprehensive orthopedic exam is necessary to determine the source and cause of pain. Since many types and kinds of tissue (bone, ligaments, muscles & tendons, bursa & cartilage) can be injured, treatments are not all the same. In addition, therapies, including home care, can be contraindicated for some injuries and appropriate for others, so getting a definitive diagnosis from a qualified healthcare practitioner such as your local chiropractor is essential.

Various conditions can cause shoulder pain; in addition to an examination, chiropractors may order one or more tests to diagnose the issue.

X-rays are commonly used to examine the bones and joints in the shoulder, which can help identify fractures, dislocations, and arthritis.

MRI scans, on the other hand, use a magnetic field to create detailed images of the soft tissues in the shoulder, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. This can help diagnose rotator cuff tears, biceps tendonitis, bursitis, and frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis).

If you’ve already had imaging done, we will review the results to help determine the cause of your pain.

Shoulder Pain Treatment Options at Ravenswood Chiropractic in Chicago

Radial Shockwave Therapy

If you’re experiencing shoulder pain, radial shockwave therapy might be a treatment option. Despite its intimidating name, this non-invasive therapy is safe and has proven effective for many causes of shoulder pain. Shockwave therapy sends high-energy sound waves to the affected area, stimulating the body’s natural healing process. Radial Shockwave Therapy helps promote new blood vessel formation, reduces pain by the release of pain mediators, treats both acute and chronic inflammation by stimulating mast cell activity, causing a localized healing response, stimulates osteoblasts that help heal bone, and fibroblasts which heal your connective tissue. Radial Shockwave therapy can be an excellent choice for those seeking a non-surgical solution to shoulder pain.

The shockwaves target areas of pain, tightness, and scar tissue in the shoulder. The therapy involves using a handheld applicator that delivers sound waves to the affected area, stimulating the body’s natural healing process. This treatment effectively reduces pain and promotes healing for various shoulder injuries and conditions we see at our office, including:

Rotator cuff syndrome and injuries
Tendonitis |calcific tendonitis | Tendinopathy | Tendinitis
Frozen shoulder | adhesive capsulitis
Repetitive Strain | Sprain Injuries
Joint Degeneration
Arthritis
Fracture (post-healing)
Dislocation (post-relocated)

In addition, shockwave therapy can be combined with chiropractic, physical therapy, massage, and acupuncture to improve treatment outcomes. Results vary and depend on the severity of your injury, but typically, a minimum of three to five sessions is required to see improvement in pain and symptoms.

Class IV Laser

Class IV Laser therapy may also be viable if you’re experiencing shoulder pain and want to avoid drugs or surgery. This therapy uses light to help repair injured tissue quickly and efficiently, reducing inflammation and relieving pain. Class IV Lasers are the most powerful medical lasers available. At Ravenswood Chiropractic in Chicago, we can effectively treat injuries and conditions that haven’t responded to other treatments and help our patients avoid the risks associated with surgery and medications. Class IV Laser feels like a gentle warming sensation. By penetrating light deep into your tissue, the photons used in Class IV Lasers can speed up the healing process and improve your range of motion. In addition, class IV Lasers stimulate repair at the cellular level, stimulate collagen production to help repair the tendons in your shoulder, reduce the formation of scar tissue to avoid complications during your recovery, reduce inflammation, reduce pain, increase blood flow to the injury, and can help repair nerve damage (axillary nerve). If you live in Chicago and wonder if Class IV Laser Therapy can relieve your shoulder pain, schedule a free consultation with our chiropractor.

High-Intensity, Class IV Laser, is particularly effective in treating:

Repetitive Shoulder Strain | Sprain
Tendinitis, Tendonosis, Tendinopathy
Rotator Cuff Syndrome and Injuries
Bursitis
Impingement Syndrome
Labral Tear/fraying
Frozen Shoulder, Adhesive capsulitis
Joint Degeneration
Arthritis

Chiropractic Care

The shoulder is a complex joint, and a chiropractor has the expert ability to make sure all the components are in the proper place and moving the way they should. Chiropractors can perform shoulder adjustments when needed but typically address shoulder pain with myofascial release techniques to re-establish the shoulder’s normal range of motion and reduce pain effectively.

Shoulder pain can often be caused by injuries or misalignments in other body parts, such as the neck, back, or rib cage. Chiropractic care can help alleviate this pain by adjusting the affected joints and providing exercises and stretches to strengthen and stabilize the shoulder.

At Ravenswood Chiropractic in Chicago, we aim to treat the symptoms and identify and address the root cause of your shoulder pain, so we perform a selective functional movement assessment (SFMA). An SFMA allows us to determine all the structures and muscles that need strength, coordination, or stretching to help prevent recurrences and help heal by giving better control to the shoulder, thus limiting stress on the joint itself. We also offer posture correction techniques to prevent future discomfort from conditions like rounded shoulders, especially for those who spend long hours sitting at a desk. So let us help you get back to your normal daily activities without the burden of shoulder pain.

Acupuncture

In Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, the shoulder is also complex. It has six different meridians running through it.

Many issues can occur with a complex joint like your shoulder. Therefore, any shoulder pain or stiffness should be investigated and appropriately diagnosed to ensure you get the most appropriate treatment. Generally speaking, acupuncture can help with shoulder pain in several ways. It can reduce inflammation and swelling, improve mobility and relieve pain in your shoulder joint.

Points known as ashi points can be used to relieve pain almost immediately. Ashi means “oh yes” in Chinese, and these are the most tender points on your shoulder, which might make you respond with this phrase when they are pressed. These local points are similar to trigger points in Western medicine and can be used with dry needling and electro-acupuncture to relieve pain.

Our acupuncturist will look closely to find out which meridian needs support. This will allow us to promote healing and correct your issue deeper by treating its root cause. This holistic approach to treatment means that you will get longer-lasting relief from your shoulder pain, and it should be less likely to come back in the future.

Just as in Western Medicine, there are many reasons for shoulder pain in Traditional Chinese Medicine. For example, conditions such as frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis are often related to the Pericardium and Liver meridians. In addition, you may have a high-stress lifestyle or personality which tends towards frustration, emotions that make you regularly tense up your shoulder muscles. These emotions are associated with the element of wood.

Bursitis tends to involve the Spleen and Large Intestine meridians. In addition, you may have a more internalized personality or suffer from digestive issues. This can lead to a condition known in Traditional Chinese Medicine as dampness and phlegm (bad water) accumulation. The symptoms include swelling, heaviness, and pain. In this instance, we would strengthen your Spleen meridian to help it process and remove the turbid water. This, in turn, will relieve your shoulder swelling and pain.

Tendonitis can affect any of the meridians in our shoulder. An exact diagnosis is made depending on where the pain is located and where it passes through. In this case, acupuncture may be effective as it increases blood supply and relaxes the connecting muscles without stressing the tendon.

Rotator Cuff Injuries can involve one or more of the three major muscle groups surrounding your shoulder joint. Your Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis will depend on where your pain is located and what kind of discomfort you are experiencing weakness, stiffness, or pain. The meridians involved generally include the Small Intestine, Large Intestine, and Triple Warmer meridians running through the shoulder. Acupuncture for rotator cuff injuries will help to relax the muscles involved, alleviate the pain, and reduce stress in the connective tissues.

In addition to acupuncture, several other therapies may help treat shoulder pain. As previously mentioned, electro-acupuncture and dry needling are valuable ways to release muscle tension and reduce pain. Treatments such as gua sha, and cupping may also be used. This help to relax the muscles and improve circulation in the local area. Many traditional Chinese liniments can be applied directly to your shoulder, and in some cases, herbs may also be taken internally to help you recover from your shoulder pain.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy can be a great way to alleviate shoulder pain. By working with our physical therapy team, you can learn exercises and techniques that can help improve your range of motion, strengthen the muscles surrounding your shoulder, and reduce inflammation. We may also use modalities like heat or cold therapy, electrical stimulation, shockwave therapy, laser therapy, or massage to help relieve pain and promote healing. As a result, you can significantly reduce your shoulder pain and improve your overall function with consistent effort and guidance.

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy can be a great way to alleviate shoulder pain. It can help reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and increase range of motion. By targeting specific areas of tension or pain, a massage therapist can work to release muscle tension and promote relaxation. Some types of massage may also incorporate stretching, joint mobilization, or other techniques to enhance the benefits of the treatment further. Massage can be a safe and effective way to manage shoulder pain and promote overall wellness.

Shoulder Pain We Treat:

Frozen Shoulder
Tendonitis
Bursitis
Rotator Cuff Syndrome and Tears
Impingement Syndrome
AC Joint Sprain
Arthritis
Instability caused by trauma
Congenitally weak shoulder
Pain from poor posture or rounder shoulders, back or neck pain
Joint Degeneration
Dislocations
Injuries to the Axillary Nerve
Trigger Points

Call our office today or book appointment to determine what is causing your shoulder pain and how we can help. 773.878.7330 We are located in Andersonville – Chica