Shoulder Pain: Is it Frozen Shoulder or Misalignment?
I cannot tell you the amount of clients I see with shoulder pain. It is a prevalent complaint that affects people across all walks of life. While various conditions can contribute to shoulder discomfort, one that often springs to people’s minds is frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis. As an Advanced Biostructural Correction chiropractor, it’s vital for me explain to my clients and help them to understand the nuances between these conditions and why misalignment may play a critical role.
Adhesive capsulitis, commonly known as frozen shoulder, is a condition characterized by stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint. The condition typically progresses through three phases: freezing, frozen, and thawing. During the freezing phase, the shoulder experiences increasing pain and stiffness. In the frozen phase, the pain might decrease, but the stiffness remains. Eventually, during the thawing phase, the range of motion gradually improves.
Research studies have defined adhesive capsulitis as an inflammatory condition affecting the shoulder joint’s capsule, causing the capsule to thicken and tighten. This limits movement and leads to the characteristic symptoms of frozen shoulder.
Classic Signs of Frozen Shoulder
Typically, frozen shoulder manifests with several classic signs and symptoms that help in diagnosis.
These include:
1. Pain and Stiffness: Persistent pain and stiffness that worsen over time, affecting the ability to perform daily activities or move the shoulder freely.
2. Limited Range of Motion: Gradual restriction in the shoulder’s movement, causing difficulties in raising the arm or reaching behind the back.
3. Progressive Nature: The condition progresses through distinct stages, starting with increasing pain, followed by stiffness, and finally, a gradual improvement.
Why Misalignment Could Be Misinterpreted as Frozen Shoulder
The challenge with shoulder pain is that many conditions, including misalignment, can exhibit symptoms akin to frozen shoulder. Misalignments within the spine and body can result in referred pain to the shoulder area, mimicking the symptoms of adhesive capsulitis. Individuals may experience stiffness, limited range of motion, and persistent discomfort without the true presence of frozen shoulder.
Moreover, misalignments can affect nerve function and muscular balance, leading to referred pain and discomfort in the shoulder joint. This is where the expertise of an Advanced Biostructural Correction chiropractor becomes crucial. Correcting these misalignments could alleviate the referred pain and discomfort, leading to improved shoulder function.
Advanced Biostructural Correction offers a unique perspective, by identifying and correcting misalignments in the spine and body, ABC aims to restore proper alignment, thereby improving nerve function, reducing referred pain, and enhancing overall musculoskeletal health.
In cases where this pain might be misconstrued as frozen shoulder, correcting misalignments through ABC could potentially relieve discomfort, improve range of motion, and prevent the need for invasive treatments or surgeries.
While frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, presents classic signs of pain and stiffness in the shoulder joint, it’s crucial to consider misalignment as another potential cause of shoulder discomfort. Research defines adhesive capsulitis, but misalignments within the body may contribute to referred pain mimicking these symptoms.
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