Shoulder Pain and Car Crashes

If you have shoulder pain after an auto collision, don't worry. Dr. Stern sees this type of condition often in our Sunnyvale & San Francisco office. Your chiropractor can be very helpful for shoulder pain symptoms after a crash. Let's see what causes shoulder pain and why chiropractic works.

There are at least two different ways that you can develop shoulder problems after a crash: by direct injury 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 trauma, you'll often be aware of the pain soon after the crash.

More commonly, Dr. Stern finds that shoulder or arm pain doesn't immediately appear after a collision, but begins a few days or weeks after the injury. This type of shoulder pain actually starts in the cervical spine. Injured muscles or ligaments in your spine can tweak 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 Sunnyvale & San Francisco office. This care involves chiropractic adjustments to restore your spine's natural mobility and home exercises that strengthen your neck and shoulder.

Dr. Stern has been helping patients in Sunnyvale & San Francisco since 2006, so we know what you're suffering from. We're here to help you, too. Dr. Stern will first determine what's causing your pain and then work to restore your body to its natural functioning. Call us today at (415) 308-7636 if you have questions or would like to make an appointment.