Frozen shoulder, clinically recognized
as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition categorized as shoulder pain and stiffness that can significantly disrupt
your daily activities. When this condition is linked
to cervical spinal stenosis, the tenderness can be even more challenging.
Luckily, chiropractic care has 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,
creating pressure on the nerves traveling
through the spine. This can relate to indicators such
as neck pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness affecting the shoulders
and arms.
How Does It Cause Frozen Shoulder? The connection between
cervical spinal stenosis and frozen shoulder lies in the common
nerve pathways. When cervical spine nerves
are compressed, referred pain and restricted movement in the shoulder may result.
This is reinforced by researchlike a study
by Russo et al., which reported a significant association
between cervical foraminal stenosis and adhesive capsulitis. (1) Fort Wayne
chiropractic care presents itself for relief!
Benefits of Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care focuses on diagnosing and treating
musculoskeletal disorders, especially those concerning
the spine. Here’s how it can be beneficial to
patients with frozen shoulder related to cervical spinal
stenosis:
Cervical Spine Stenosis Relief - Chiropractors use
various techniques to ease the symptoms of
cervical spinal stenosis. Flexion distraction spinal manipulation aka Cox
Technic has
been shown to effectively lower foraminal stenosis and
radiculopathy. (2) This method helps to decompress
the spinal discs and open the spaces within the spine, lessening
pressure on the nerves.
Cervical Spine Disc Herniation Foraminal Narrowing and Frozen
Shoulder Pain Relief - Chiropractic adjustments can also directly address
the shoulder. Techniques such as the Cox® cervical
flexion-distraction technique have proven to be efficacious in managing conditions like disc herniation with foraminal narrowing. (3).
These treatments help restore mobility to the
shoulder joint and reduce pain.
Steps to Effective Chiropractic Treatment
The first step in Fort Wayne chiropractic care is a thorough assessment to understand the root cause of symptoms. This consists of
physical examinations and imaging studies, if necessary. Based on
the diagnosis, a chiropractor will create a
personalized treatment plan. This plan may involve spinal
adjustments, physical therapy exercises, and lifestyle recommendations to encourage
overall spinal health. Regular monitoring and treatments ensure
that progress is being made and that any necessary changes
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) highlighted
the cross-talk between shoulder and neck pain, further supporting
the role of Fort Wayne chiropractic care in overseeing
these interconnected conditions.
CONTACT Aaron Chiropractic Clinic
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Sarah Murrow on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she
describes a case of neck and shoulder pain relieved and
managed with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
If you’re dealing
with the twofold challenges of cervical spinal stenosis and frozen
shoulder, Fort Wayne chiropractic care could be the answer
you need. By getting to the root causes of your pain and providing
targeted relief, your Fort Wayne chiropractor may well help
you regain mobility and improve your quality of
life. Set up a consultation with Aaron Chiropractic Clinic today and begin
your journey to pain relief!