Should you see a chiropractor for elbow pain?
While most of our patients arrive in our office complaining of pain related to their spine, we do address many issues with the arms and legs, including the elbow.
Depending on how the elbow pain began, we will either provide treatment or recommendations on the best next steps for your care.
If the elbow pain began due to overuse, like tennis, golfing, or working out — the right course may mean rest and avoiding the offending activity. Ice, bracing, and taping are also good initial steps in alleviating some of the initial symptoms you might have from repetitive activities.
There is a chiropractic extremity adjustment for the elbow. The first patient I had to adjust for this problem was a small boy that had been pulled up by one arm just before running into the street. When his parents brought him into the office, he was holding his arm tight against the side of his body, not wanting anyone to touch it.
One quick adjustment later and he was using the arm normally. One of the bones in his forearm had subluxated (slightly dislocated) and was causing him pain. Just by gently moving it back into place, the pain was gone immediately.
I wish that was always the case, but the joints of the arm (shoulder, elbow, wrist) are also prone to strains (muscle or tendon problems) and sprains (ligament problems). Sprains and strains are considered soft tissue in nature and often respond better to treatments designed specifically for this type of problem.
In the past, this meant finding a physical therapist and receiving passive therapies along with exercise recommendations. Now, some chiropractors are becoming experts at working with the soft tissue. These chiropractors tend to see more athletic patients and the spinal adjustment may take a back seat to the muscle treatments.
In our office, we are focused primarily on spinal adjustments, so we happily refer our patients to various providers that can help them with their elbow pain. Our most common referral is to an Airrosti provider.
These are chiropractic doctors that utilize a hands-on soft tissue treatment geared toward fast recovery of many sports ailments. They have become our “go to” provider for many soft tissue injuries our patients face.
First visit with your chiropractor at CORE Chiropractic. We’ll be happy to check your spine for misalignment and discuss extremity issues, including your elbow. If we’re not the right place for your condition, we’ll make an immediate referral and discuss your options.