Shoulder Pain and Auto Injury

If you are dealing with shoulder pain after an auto collision, don't despair. Dr. Harrell sees this type of problem often in our Tumwater office. What causes shoulder pain after an auto injury? How can a chiropractor help?

There are at least two ways that you can develop shoulder pain after an accident: by direct injury to the shoulder or by radiating pain from the neck.

Direct damage can be caused by hitting your shoulder on a hard object in the car during the impact, or can occur if you have a tight grip on the steering wheel during a rear end collision. With this type of injury, you'll usually be aware of the pain soon after the crash.

More commonly, Dr. Harrell finds that shoulder or arm pain does not immediately appear after a collision, but starts a few days or weeks after the injury. This type of shoulder pain actually starts in the neck. Injured muscles or ligaments in your spine can pinch nerves in your neck, causing numbness, tingling, or soreness in your shoulder, elbow, or wrist.

We've treated both kinds of shoulder problems in our Tumwater office. This care involves chiropractic adjustments to restore your spine's natural mobility and home exercises that strengthen your neck and shoulder.

You don't have to suffer from shoulder pain. Dr. Harrell is conveniently located in Tumwater to help you recover, whether you've been in an auto collision or not. First, we'll do a careful examination to figure out the root cause of your pain, and then decide how to restore your body's natural functioning. Call us today at (360) 489-0635 if you have questions or would like to make an appointment.