Sometimes the pain is in your arm or leg — but the cause is somewhere else entirely.
Your shoulder and hip joints are the most mobile in your body, and they put in a long shift. That combination of mobility and frequency makes them targets for a long list of injuries and conditions.
Sometimes the cause is obvious — a fall, a car accident, a weekend of overuse. Other times the pain builds slowly and nobody can pin down the moment it started. Common suspects include arthritis, bursitis, tendinitis, frozen shoulder, and vertebral subluxations. New medications (antibiotics, birth control, anxiety meds) can sometimes contribute.
And then there's referred pain — when the source is one place and the symptom is somewhere else entirely. The classic example: pain down the left arm during a heart attack. A more everyday example: nerve irritation at the spine producing pain that runs all the way down an arm or leg, the way sciatica does.
Because the possible causes are many, an accurate diagnosis is the most important step. We use a detailed history, a physical exam, and — when needed — advanced imaging. Where the pain lives, what makes it better or worse, and what other symptoms come with it (swelling, bruising, skin changes) are all clues.
In our experience, vertebral misalignments in the neck or low back are responsible for the majority of arm and leg pain we see. The nerves running from the spine reach all the way to the fingertips and toes — and irritation at the spine can produce symptoms anywhere along the path. Spinal adjustments restore the joint to proper position, take pressure off the irritated nerve, and let the pain settle down.
Pick up the phone. Tell us what's going on. We'll be straight with you about whether we can help — and if yes, the next step is a $37 starting consultation.