COMMON CONDITIONS

Seattle Chiropractor Care for Arm and Leg Pain

Pain in the arms or legs (extremities) can be caused by many factors.  Over use, trauma, and circulation problems account for the vast majority of these.  The most common pain people experience is simple over use of over exertion.  Exercise or over use is by far the most common cause of pain.  The pain is usually muscular and is usually a dull achy pain that subsides quickly (1 to 3 days).  Sometimes ice, heat, massage, or gentle stretching can help.  If over use is severe enough or chronic enough, you can develop muscular imbalance.  This imbalance can alter your biomechanics and stress your joints.  It is often helpful, if your pain persists, to consult with a chiropractor to see if repositioning your joints is in order.

Circulation problems are usually rare.  They can be associated with cold or numbness in the extremities.  Often people say their legs are “falling asleep” or fatigue easily.  If you think you may have a circulatory problem, consult your family doctor.

Trauma is another common cause of extremity pain.  Besides bumps and bruises, trauma can stretch or tear muscles and ligaments that hold joints in their proper alignment.  When this happens, tissues can swell, joints can move improperly, and irritation to nerves can result.  This may cause symptoms of pain (sharp, shooting, achy, or dull), numbness, weakness, paralysis, tingling, spasms, and/or stiffness.  The injury could be in the arms or legs, but can often be in the neck or spine.

The nerve supply for the arms originates in the neck, while the nerve supply for the legs comes from the lower back and pelvis.  If the spine shifts due to trauma, muscle imbalance, etc., they can irritate the nerves and the result can be pain or weakness in the extremities.  Chiropractors can accurately locate and diagnose your condition.  They are experts in treating the spine, and many are experts at adjusting the joints of the extremities as well.  A simple adjustment may be all that is needed to relieve chronic shoulder, hip, knee, wrist, ankle, elbow, hand, foot, arm, or leg pain.  The chiropractor will isolate the cause of the pain, discuss your options and help you determine the best way to correct it.