Shoulder Pain Care in Garner, NC
Shoulder pain rarely has one single cause. A rotator cuff that can't keep up with what you ask of it, a stiff upper back that changes how your shoulder blade moves, a frozen shoulder, and pain coming from your neck can all feel alike. I'm Dr. Adam Seay, D.C. I examine your shoulder, shoulder blade, upper back and neck, sort out which problem you have, and build a plan around what I find. Call 919-662-0520 or tap Schedule Appointment above.
Emergencies first
Call 911 for shoulder or arm pain with chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, sweating or nausea. Heart trouble can be felt in the shoulder. Get medical care right away for a fall or hard hit followed by an arm you can't lift or move, fever with a hot, red, swollen shoulder, numbness, tingling or weakness that is new or spreading down your arm, or an unexplained lump around the shoulder. See a medical doctor promptly for new shoulder pain with a history of cancer, especially night pain that doesn't change with position, or for unexplained weight loss, night sweats or feeling unwell along with the pain.
Your first shoulder visit
Your first visit includes:
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The story of your shoulder: when it started, what makes it better or worse, and what your work, sports and home life ask of it
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Questions and checks that sort out rotator cuff pain from frozen shoulder, arthritis and pain coming from your neck
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A check of how your arm moves on its own and when I move it for you, because a frozen shoulder won't turn outward even when you're fully relaxed
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A look at your shoulder blade, upper back, neck and posture, since the spot that hurts isn't always where the problem starts
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Rotator cuff strength testing that includes the subscapularis, a cuff muscle that quick exams often miss
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A written plan tied to what I find, with a re-exam date so progress is measured, not guessed
Wear a tank top or a loose shirt so I can see how your shoulder blades move, and bring any X-ray or MRI reports you already have.
What causes shoulder pain?
The most common cause is rotator cuff related shoulder pain. The rotator cuff is four muscles that keep the ball of your arm centered in a shallow socket, and it hurts when overhead work, sports or a home project ask more of it than it can recover from. The old idea of a bone spur pinching a tendon hasn't held up well in research. Tears also become more common with age in people with no pain at all, so a tear on an MRI doesn't automatically explain your pain or mean you need surgery.
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Your shoulder blade rides on your rib cage, so a stiff, rounded upper back changes how it moves. In one lab study, slouching cut how far healthy volunteers could raise their arm out to the side by nearly 24 degrees and made their shoulder muscles weaker. That's why I check your upper back and shoulder blade, and test the subscapularis, a rotator cuff muscle that standard tests often miss.
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Frozen shoulder is different. The capsule around the joint thickens and tightens, so the arm won't turn outward even when someone else moves it for you. It's most common between 40 and 60 and in people with diabetes, and it moves through a painful phase, a stiff phase and a thawing phase over many months. Forcing stretches in the painful phase makes it worse, so care has to match the phase. Pain can also come from your neck or from arthritis. For pain that came on gradually, an X-ray or MRI usually isn't the first step. Imaging helps after a real injury, with severe or worsening weakness, or when care isn't working.
Why See Seay Wellness for Shoulder Pain
Exam before treatment
You see Dr. Seay at every visit, from the first exam to discharge. Nothing is treated until the exam shows where your pain is coming from.
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Care matched to the cause
Depending on your exam, your plan may include rotator cuff and shoulder blade strengthening, gentle mobilization of your upper back, and soft-tissue work such as Active Release Technique or dry needling for the tight muscles around the shoulder. Exercise carries the most weight. In one trial of people who had already tried other care, 20 percent of those on a specific strengthening program went on to choose surgery, against 63 percent of those given general exercise.
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Measured progress
Pain, sleep, how far your arm moves, your strength and the everyday tasks that hurt are recorded at the start and again at re-exam, so you can see the change in numbers.
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Straight answers
If your exam points to a large tear from an injury, something that needs imaging, or pain that isn't coming from your shoulder at all, I'll tell you and refer you.
Questions About Shoulder Pain
Q: Do I need a referral?
A: No. You can book directly by calling 919-662-0520 or through Schedule Appointment at the top of this page.
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Q: My MRI shows a rotator cuff tear. Do I need surgery?
A: Not necessarily, and usually not first. Tears are common with age in people who have no pain. In a trial of people over 55 with small tears that didn't come from an injury, physical therapy alone did as well as surgical repair over five years. A large tear from an injury or weakness that keeps getting worse is a different conversation, and I'll refer you when your exam points that way.
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Q: Can a chiropractor help shoulder pain?
A: Yes, when the care is built around exercise. Research on shoulder pain finds hands-on care works better than placebo, with its added benefit clearest early on, while a specific strengthening program carries the long-term result. My visits combine both, and the plan covers your upper back and shoulder blade as well as the shoulder itself.
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Q: How long does shoulder pain take to get better?
A: It depends on the cause and how long you've had it. Rotator cuff pain is usually most irritable in the first six weeks, strength builds from about six to twelve weeks, and full strength for overhead or heavy work often takes three to six months. Frozen shoulder takes longer, often more than a year, and the care changes with each phase.