Joint pain in Clear Lake, Iowa
The joints of our shoulders, hips, and knees are some of the most mobile and frequently used joints in our bodies. At O’Hara Chiropractic, we often see patients with injuries and pain at these joints from overuse to sports injuries and other causes. Patients report feeling slight discomfort to complete immobilization from issues at these joints. We will describe below some of the most common issues that lead to shoulder, leg, and knee pain and how chiropractic adjustments can help.
Possible causes of joint pain in Clear Lake, Iowa
The actual cause of arm or leg pain can be difficult to self-diagnose. Of course, an obvious injury, such as stressing a joint through a repetitive pattern at work, dislocating a shoulder playing sports, or pinching a nerve by falling asleep in an awkward position, makes the source of your immediate pain easy to pinpoint. However, sometimes pain in the arms or legs develops slowly over time without the occurrence of an obvious injury or accident. Sometimes the pain from an injury becomes chronic and the exact source becomes more mysterious. You may need a more thorough assessment to find the source.
Possible sources of pain include bursitis, arthritis, and tendinitis, but misalignments (subluxations) of the vertebrae in the neck and lower back are responsible for the vast majority of chronic arm and leg pain. Nerves extend out from the spine and are responsible for communicating messages back and forth from our brain all of the way to our fingertips and toes. If the space where those nerves are gets narrowed because the vertebrae or discs are out of position, the nerve can become irritated. This feels like pain radiates down the path of the nerve, to fingers or toes.
In short, injuries to the vertebrae in the spine can create the sensation of pain anywhere along the entire length of the arms and legs. This is how sciatica works—pain runs from the hip all the way to the foot.
Chiropractic treatment for joint pain in Clear Lake, Iowa
A Gonstead chiropractor is specifically trained to determine the source of your pain. Because of each joint’s complexity and numerous possible causes of your leg or arm pain, it is important to have a professional evaluation to determine the source. We will thoroughly review your medical history, complete a physical examination, and use advanced imaging techniques to get a comprehensive picture that will lead us to the root cause of your pain.
From there, we will use non invasive and carefully applied adjustments to assist the body in gently re-positioning the vertebrae which can provide both instant and long-term relief. Don't wait for arm and leg pain to become unbearable—schedule a consultation with us at O’Hara Chiropractic today!