In previous newsletters we’ve discussed a few specific conditions that can affect the upper extremity. This includes everything from the shoulder to fingertips.
Today I am going to go into a few more problems that people commonly deal with in this area. These include:
- Tendonitis
- Bursitis
- Tennis/Golfers Elbow
- TOS
- Nerve Problems
There are quite a few other conditions or possibilities that explain your particular pain or problem, so it is important to remember that this is not an exhaustive list. We work on shoulders, elbows, and wrists every day, let us know if any of these are bothering you!
Tendonitis and Bursitis
If you remember our discussion of arthritis, you’ll already be thinking that this has to do with inflammation. That is what itis indicates. If this is
what you’re thinking, you’re on the right track.
Tendonitis is inflammation of a tendon, which attaches a muscle into a bone. This occurs from
repetitive motions, overuse without proper recovery, or a minor “tweak” where perhaps you nearly dropped something, slipped, or lifted too heavy or with bad form in the gym.
Bursitis is something that people are generally not as familiar with. A bursa is a fluid filled structure that
provides cushion somewhere in the body. Imagine a thin water balloon like structure that can swell.
When this happens, it puts pressure on the surrounding structures. Tendonitis and bursitis are very common reasons for shoulder pain, particularly if the pain is in the front of the shoulder.
Tennis and Golfers Elbow
Golfers elbow and tennis elbow are specific conditions that both start as simple tendonitis. The difference however is that the tendons can stay
inflamed long enough that they irritate the outer layer of bone in the elbow.
They are called golfers elbow and tennis elbow because they commonly occur in those sports due
to hitting the golf club into the ground, and constantly hitting backhand in tennis.
They commonly happen with repetitive motions or physical jobs as well.
Dry needling, chiropractic care, shockwave, rehab exercises, and cortisol injections are all treatment options. Stopping the activities that are irritating the
tendons and bone can be necessary. We obviously prefer to avoid oral steroids or injections whenever possible.
TOS and Nerve Problems
TOS stands for thoracic outlet syndrome. All of the nerves coming from the neck and all the blood
vessels coming from the heart have to pass through the shoulder. If there is an injury or any tissue causing pressure, we can get numbness, tingling, and pain throughout the entire arm and hand.
TOS is unique in that it causes altered blood flow compared to the opposite arm.
Nerves can cause pain, numbness, tingling, or muscle strength loss. The cause can be from the neck or anywhere downstream.
Whenever either of these issues present themselves, it is critical to address the issue starting at the spinal cord and nerve roots, all the way down into the hand and everything in between. Our non-surgical spinal decompression is our go to therapy that we combine with chiropractic care, posture corrections,
and rehab for any radiating pain or numbness in the arm.
