Frozen Shoulder and Neck Pain Connection of Pain and Chiropractic Relief

October 01, 2024

Frozen shoulder, clinically recognized as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition categorized as shoulder pain and stiffness that can significantly impair your activities of daily living. When this condition is linked to cervical spinal stenosis, the discomfort can be even more challenging. Luckily, chiropractic care offers a viable solution to manage and reduce these symptoms.

Understanding the Connection: Cervical Spine & Shoulder

What is Cervical Spinal Stenosis? Cervical spinal stenosis is a condition in which the spaces within the spine narrow, putting pressure on the nerves that travel through the spine. This can lead to indicators such as neck pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the shoulders and arms.

How Does It Cause Frozen Shoulder? The connection between cervical spinal stenosis and frozen shoulder stems from the joint nerve pathways. When cervical spine nerves are compressed, referred pain and restricted movement in the shoulder may result. This is supported by researchlike a study by Russo et al., which reported a significant link between cervical foraminal stenosis and adhesive capsulitis. (1) Minster chiropractic care offers itself for relief!

Benefits of Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care focuses on diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal disorders, particularly those that involve the spine. Here is how it can be beneficial to patients with frozen shoulder related to cervical spinal stenosis:

Cervical Spine Stenosis Relief Chiropractors utilize a variety of techniques to relieve the symptoms of cervical spinal stenosis. Flexion distraction spinal manipulation aka Cox Technic has been shown to effectively decrease foraminal stenosis and radiculopathy. (2) This method assists in decompressing the spinal discs and open the spaces within the spine, lowering pressure on the nerves.

Cervical Spine Disc Herniation Foraminal Narrowing and Frozen Shoulder Pain Relief Chiropractic adjustments can also directly help the shoulder. Techniques like the Cox® cervical flexion-distraction technique have proven effective in dealing with conditions like disc herniation with foraminal narrowing. (3) These adjustments help regain mobility to the shoulder joint and reduce pain.

Steps to Effective Chiropractic Treatment

The first step in chiropractic care is an in-depth assessment to understand the root cause of symptoms. This consists of physical tests and imaging studies, if necessary. Based on the diagnosis, a chiropractor will develop an individualized treatment plan. This plan may involve spinal adjustments, physical therapy exercises, and lifestyle recommendations to foster overall spinal health. Regular monitoring and treatments make sure that progress is being made and that any necessary modifications to the treatment plan are employed. Further, numerous studies support the efficacy of chiropractic care for conditions like cervical spinal stenosis and thereby potentially frozen shoulder. For example, Wu et al. (4) presented the cross-talk between shoulder and neck pain, further supporting the role of Minster chiropractic care in managing these interlinked conditions.

CONTACT Minster Chiropractic Center

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Sarah Murrow on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she illustrates a case of neck and shoulder pain relieved and managed with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

If you are struggling with the twofold challenges of cervical spinal stenosis and frozen shoulder, Minster chiropractic care could be the intervention you need. By getting to the root causes of your pain and delivering targeted relief, your Minster chiropractor can help you regain mobility and enhance your quality of life. Book a consultation with Minster Chiropractic Center today and begin your journey to pain relief!

Minster chiropractic care relief for frozen shoulder