Shoulder Pain and Car Accidents

If you have shoulder pain after an auto collision, you're not alone. Dr. Berklich sees this type of problem often in our Alpharetta office. Why is shoulder pain such a common problem after an auto injury? How can your chiropractor help you get better?

There are at least two different ways that you can get shoulder problems after a car crash: by direct injury to the shoulder or by referred pain from the neck.

Direct damage can be caused by hitting your shoulder on a hard object in the car during the impact, 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 wreck.

More commonly, Dr. Berklich finds that shoulder or arm pain doesn't immediately appear after a collision, but starts a few days or weeks after the injury. This type of shoulder discomfort actually starts in the cervical spine. Injured soft tissue in your spine can squeeze nerves in your neck, causing numbness, tingling, or pain in your shoulder, elbow, or wrist.

We've treated both kinds of shoulder pain in our Alpharetta office. This approach involves chiropractic adjustments to restore your spine's natural mobility and home exercises that strengthen your neck and shoulder.

If you've been injured in a car crash and you're experiencing shoulder pain, Dr. Berklich is here to help. The first step is to get an accurate diagnosis to determine what's causing your pain and then we will determine an appropriate treatment strategy. Give our office a call today at (770) 475-2225 to make an appointment.