Shoulder Pain and Car Crashes

We treat many car accident cases in in our Yakima office, and a common symptom we see in our patients is shoulder pain. What causes shoulder pain after an auto injury? How can a chiropractor help?

There are at least two ways that you can get shoulder pain after an accident: by direct trauma to the shoulder joint or by referred pain from the neck.

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

More frequently, Dr. Covington finds that shoulder or arm pain doesn't immediately appear after a crash, but begins a few days or weeks after the trauma. This type of shoulder pain actually starts in the cervical spine. Injured ligaments or muscles in your neck can squeeze nerves in your neck, causing numbness, tingling, or pain in your shoulder, elbow, or wrist.

We've treated both types of shoulder problems in our Yakima office. This process involves chiropractic adjustments to restore your spine's natural flexibility and home exercises that strengthen your neck and shoulder.

If you've been hurt in a car crash and you're experiencing shoulder pain, Dr. Covington is here to help. The first step is to get an accurate diagnosis to determine what's causing your symptoms and then we will determine an appropriate treatment approach. Call us today at (509) 895-7535 if you have questions or would like to make an appointment.