Shoulder Pain and Car Accidents

If you are dealing with shoulder pain after a car crash, you're not alone. Dr. Ernst sees this type of problem frequently in our Arlington, WA office. Let's look at the root cause of shoulder pain after an accident and see how chiropractic care can help.

There are at least two different ways that you can get shoulder pain after a car crash: 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 surface 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 trauma, you'll usually be aware of the pain soon after the crash.

More frequently, Dr. Ernst finds that shoulder or arm pain does not immediately appear after a collision, but begins a few days or weeks after the accident. This type of shoulder pain actually starts in the cervical spine. 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 worked with both kinds of shoulder problems in our Arlington, WA office. This care involves chiropractic adjustments to restore your spine's natural flexibility and exercises that strengthen your neck and shoulder.

If you've been hurt in a car crash and you're struggling with shoulder pain, Dr. Ernst is here to help. First, we'll do a careful assessment 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) 659-8464 if you have questions or would like to make an appointment.