Expert: John Quackenbush DC - 11/13/2009

Question
Last year while working as a massage therapist I experienced a consistant shooting pain on the top of my right shoulder that seemed worse if I was in an upright position. The only way I could fall asleep at night was by taking Ibuprofen and using ice therapy before bed. I went to a chiropractor who told me it was a pinched nerve from an athletic injury (from doing too many massages). However, the pain never went away. After visiting the chiroprator the pain changed. There is a now a grinding noise on the right side of my neck when I turn my head to the right that radiates pain into the top of my right shoulder. The pain is constant and there every day, somedays are worse than others. This past summer I went to another chiroprator who took referred me to get an MRI. The MRI results showed a small disc protrustion at C6/C7 and subletoid bursitis in the right shoulder area. I have not had any trauma to my neck or been in any accidents so I don't know how all this came about. I have also tried massage therapy but the pain is always there. The only time I get any sort of relief is when I am lying down. I am wondering if you have any suggestions on where I should go from here and what treatments are available to relieve me of this pain? Thank you!

Answer
Heather,
It is possible that you have more than just the disc protrusion. However it seems to me that you have not found someone who has helped you with the disc issue. You will need to find a chiropractor who utilizes spinal distraction. Once you do you need to find out if his system of spinal decompression is suited for Cervical Distraction. In addition you will need some type of manipulation in tadem with the above mentioned distracticon/decompression.

Also there are a group of chiroprators that also utilize excercise with Oxygen therapy in unison with spinal decompression. You can find these Chiropractors on www.lifechangingcare.com.

Additionally you should have your shoulder joint evaluated. You may have a slight tear in the labrum of your shoulder joint. This refers pain right to the same area that you described. This may warrant seeing an Orthopedic surgeon and surgery. I would suggest an MRI of the affected side to rule out labral tearing as well as to assess the integrity of the shoulder joint and surrounding rotator cuff ligaments.

Obviously I encourage you to persue this with the appropriate health care procider of your choice.

To your good health,

Dr John Q Quackenbush