Chronic neck and shoulder pain pose major societal challenges, burdening productivity and costs. A 2024 study showed their effect on quality of life and work, affecting 48.5% of the population on average.
Given the substantial impact, finding effective treatment options is crucial. This blog explores chiropractic and soft tissue therapy for chronic neck and shoulder pain, two widely recognized methods offering noninvasive, lasting solutions for your musculoskeletal system.
Chronic shoulder and neck pain often stems from various factors.
If left unaddressed, these causes may result in persistent discomfort over time. Treatment requires more than short-term relief; a comprehensive approach, like chiropractic care for neck pain, is essential for targeting root causes and preventing future pain.
Discover how chiropractic and soft tissue therapy for chronic neck and shoulder pain complement each other to address the root causes of your discomfort.
Misaligned neck and upper back vertebrae can cause tension and pain. Chiropractic care focuses on correcting these misalignments, improving mobility, and alleviating pressure.
Chronic shoulder and neck pain requires targeted interventions for lasting relief. One effective approach is spinal adjustment. Chiropractors apply specific, gentle thrusts and controlled force to spinal joints to restore proper function and alignment, improve posture, and reduce strain.
Adjustments are often performed using the practitioner's hands but may also involve a small instrument for precision and control.
Poor posture and ergonomics place strain on muscles and create imbalances. Prolonged slouching weakens muscles, while poorly designed workspaces or setups exacerbate misalignment, leading to further discomfort.
Chiropractors teach better posture habits and workstation setup to prevent or alleviate chronic shoulder and neck pain. Managing posture and activity intensity reduces tension, while ergonomic adjustments like optimal desk and screen setup minimize repetitive strain.
Experiencing severe stiffness or arthritis? Light movements can help you regain mobility by gently stretching and activating joints surrounding muscles. These exercises include:
Mobilization techniques provide gentle movements without further straining the affected areas. Over time, these can increase joint mobility, strengthen supportive muscles, and make daily tasks less challenging.
Soft tissue therapy complements chiropractic care by focusing on tight muscles and connective tissues. It releases tension, reduces spasms, and alleviates stiffness linked to shoulder and neck pain.
The stubborn knots and tight bands you feel in your neck and shoulders might be trigger points within your fascia, contributing to chronic pain and restricted movement. Myofascial release directly addresses these spots, gently unwinding tension and restoring comfort.
Myofascial release therapy, also called trigger point therapy, targets stiff areas in the fascial tissue (trigger points) to address chronic neck pain and shoulder stiffness. Breaking up adhesions and loosening pain knots improves mobility and reduces discomfort.
When bound by adhesions, the muscles, nerves, and blood vessels in your neck and shoulders can lead to chronic pain and limited mobility. ART resolves this by pinpointing and breaking down the adhesions, allowing other soft tissues to move freely and managing chronic pain.
For chronic shoulder and neck pain management, ART uses precise pressure with movement to break down scar tissue, restoring function, improving circulation, and reducing pain and stiffness.
Muscle tension, restricted blood flow, and adhesions in your neck and shoulders can limit mobility and worsen your pain. Deep tissue massage targets the innermost layers of muscle and connective tissue to address these issues.
With slow, firm strokes, deep tissue massage breaks down painful, rigid tissue bands restricting circulation and movement. This technique alleviates muscle tension and stimulates blood flow, delivering oxygen and nutrients that aid in chronic pain treatment.
Beyond chiropractic adjustments and soft tissue work, explore these additional therapies that can support your shoulder and neck pain relief journey.
| Technique | How It Works |
| Corrective Exercises | Strengthen neck and shoulder-supporting muscles, increase range of motion, improve posture, and relieve stiffness. Exercises may include scapular stability exercises, rotator cuff strength training, targeted stretches, and postural corrections. |
| Cold Laser Therapy | Uses low-intensity light to relieve pain and inflammation, improve blood flow, and promote the healing of tissues. |
| Electrical Stimulation | Applies electrical currents to stimulate muscles, alleviate pain, and improve circulation. |
Don’t carry the burden of neck and shoulder pain in silence. Understand the common causes and explore the key benefits of treatments like chiropractic and soft tissue therapy. This way, you can ease the weight and embrace a future free from pain and full of mobility.
Achieve optimal spinal health with chiropractic and soft tissue therapy for chronic neck and shoulder pain. Choose Zaker Chiropractic today for skilled, holistic care from experienced professionals in Torrance, San Pedro, Rancho Palos Verdes, or Newport Beach, CA.
