A sore shoulder after an accident is nothing to shake off! Many people assume that shoulder soreness is simply a “normal” side effect of being in a collision. The reality is that minor shoulder pain or discomfort may be a precursor to sharp pain, reduced mobility, and decreased range of motion. Here at Dorsa Chiropractic, we help patients living with shoulder pain recover as part of our auto injury chiropractic services. Dr. Christopher Dorsa is here to help you if you’re experiencing shoulder pain following a car accident. While there are many methods that Dr. Dorsa employs to help heal shoulder injuries, the one rule for patients is to never ignore shoulder pain. What seems like a minor strain could be a serious issue like a fracture, impingement, or torn rotator cuff. While it goes without saying that you should seek emergency care if you’re suffering from pain in the aftermath of a car accident, chiropractic care can be beneficial for treating lingering pain once you’ve addressed any potential for acute, serious post-accident injuries.

Treating Your Shoulder After a Car Accident With Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic treatment for shoulder pain has been studied for decades. Based on clinical studies, we know that there’s a big benefit for using a multimodal chiropractic protocol in resolving symptoms associated with a suspected clinical diagnosis of shoulder impingement syndrome. That’s exactly what we do here at Pro Performance.

What to Expect When You Visit a Chiropractor for Shoulder Pain Following an Accident

First, it’s important to identify the root cause of shoulder pain. While it’s possible that your shoulder is out of alignment, there’s also the potential that your shoulder pain is actually the result of something known as “referred pain.” Referred pain is common due to the interconnectedness of the nervous system and musculoskeletal system. It’s very possible that pain that is present in your shoulder could actually originate from compression or misalignment somewhere in your neck or spine. At Pro Performance, we take time to conduct assessments with our patients to determine the root causes of shoulder pain in order to design custom treatments that can reduce recovery time.

Chiropractic Shoulder Adjustments

Many patients suffering from shoulder pain following car accidents benefit from shoulder adjustments. This is often all that’s needed if shoulder pain is caused by a shoulder being out of alignment. Some telltale signs that your shoulder is misaligned from the impact of an accident include:

  • Pain.
  • Soreness.
  • Inflammation.
  • Muscle spasms.

Chiropractic shoulder adjustments are generally very gentle. They are usually performed manually using nothing more than the chiropractor’s hands. However, we routinely use specialized equipment at our office for deeper, more intense healing of sore or injured tissue. We see many patients suffering from shoulder pain find success using something called decompression therapy. Using an FDA-approved motorized traction table, this treatment relies on gravity and body weight to help relieve pressure from the discs in your spine. Many patients dealing with spinal misalignments that are causing shoulder misalignments find great relief using this option.

The Muscle Release Technique for Shoulder Pain Following a Car Accident

One of the treatments we’re very excited about offering here at Dorsa Chiropractic in Denver is something called the muscle release technique. You’ll often hear this referred to as trigger-point therapy. This treatment is designed to identify “trigger points” that are essentially knotted points of tension nested within your muscles. The shoulder is one of the areas of the body where “tension knots” form easily. When done properly, trigger-point therapy can help to release oxygen, blood flow, and lymphatic fluid for better circulation. This can be a game-changer for reducing pain while improving the range of motion! Muscle release feels a bit like a gentle massage with some light stretching and pressure. Many patients actually have the experience of feeling the pressure being released during the process.

The Graston Technique for Shoulder Pain Following a Car Accident

In some cases of shoulder pain, an instrument-guided technique called the Graston Technique can help to provide better benefits than manual adjustments alone. This treatment is especially beneficial for shoulder injuries caused by trauma. It can also help to break up scar tissue surrounding older injuries. When implementing the Graston Technique, Dr. Dorsa works with a round-edged instrument that is used to identify tight, restricted tissue that’s indicative of scar tissue. He then works on the area to help break up scar tissue to finally allow for healing to begin. This can be an important treatment for restoring blood flow and circulation to encourage cellular regeneration in the shoulder.

Can Laser Therapy Help You Avoid Shoulder Surgery?

Many people seek chiropractic care for shoulder pain following accidents after hearing from their doctors that they will need surgery to restore full function and mobility. In reality, surgery isn’t always necessary to achieve permanent, total healing of the shoulder. Used for decades to treat injuries related to sports, accidents, and overuse, laser therapy creates “microtraumas” that supercharge the body’s natural healing abilities in a specific area of the body. This is a gentle, non-invasive option that can be performed on a “lunch break” with essentially no downtime required.

There Are Many Options for Treating Shoulder Pain With a Chiropractor

The treatments covered here really only scratch the surface in terms of how chiropractic intervention can help reduce pain, increase mobility and restore balance following a shoulder injury. Dr. Dorsa specializes in creating custom plans that integrate manual adjustments, Kinesio taping, dry needling, and much more. Many of our patients are able to successfully avoid the need for surgery, pain medications, and other “mainstream” treatments that focus only on masking pain instead of correcting the root cause of pain and dysfunction down at the musculoskeletal level.

Should I See a Chiropractor If My Shoulder Hurts After an Accident?

Many people suffer from stiffness and pain for years following their accidents because they aren’t aware that healing is possible. While no treatment offers a guarantee, we know from decades of research that correcting musculoskeletal blockages and misalignments caused by the sudden force of an accident is often what’s necessary to restore blood flow and oxygen to the shoulder.

Is it ever too late to see a chiropractor after an accident? This is a question that we hear constantly from new patients who are inquiring about chiropractic care for the first time. The honest answer is that it’s ideal to seek chiropractic care as soon after an accident as possible if you suspect that there’s an underlying injury. This can be especially important if you’ll be making an insurance claim for the accident because chiropractors are capable of creating treatment documentation that can be submitted as proof of injury. However, the longer answer is that it’s never too late to get treatment for an injury after an accident. An issue like a misalignment isn’t something that’s going to go away on its own. In fact, shoulder injuries can actually cause greater pain over time because your body will compensate for the misalignment in all of your movements. This can create serious long-term spinal issues that impact your overall health, balance, and wellness.

Don’t ignore shoulder pain, stiffness, or discomfort after an accident! Dr. Dorsa and the Pro Performance team are here to help you understand the underlying causes of your pain. Call us today to book an appointment at our state-of-the-art office conveniently located in Denver, Colorado.