I have never seen a chiropractor, so no opinion there. But the shoulder bone specialist should be able to provide more information on exactly what is going on with your shoulder, and give you advice on how to deal with it.

I am a retired medical professional , I say that because quite often you will hear that the medical profession frowns on chiropractic medicine. I was never for or against because we certainly have seen several instances where the medical community have been wrong and in some cases reversed their thinking . And many medical practices are now actually including a chiropractic specialist in their office. I have a personal history now with chiropractic medicine and professionals and it's extremely positive . I am forever grateful to the first chiropractic specialist I went to , he was exceptionally helpful and saved me from having a surgery that I was scheduled to have . He introduced me to decompression therapy which has been a wonderful experience for me and has kept me surgery free for years now.

I must admit that just like in any field there are good and bad . I find word of mouth positive references and referrals are a great determining factor .

I would not hesitate to visit with the chiropractor and talk about a plan of action and direction . Make sure they are highly regarded . And proceed from there . It does not sound like the bone specialist gave much insight or direction on how to help the condition . I would definitely ask for clarification on his very limited communication .

I would see a different shoulder ortho...what a vague diagnosis you were given.

Raven, I jokingly ask Robert to get me "the rack" for Xmas (or birthday or anniversary) every year, lol. Goodness, I feel soooo good after even one decompression treatment.

dandy, I have had remarkable results with my chiropractor, but each case and each person is unique. And there are quacks out there as in any field....do your research.

One of the symptoms that made me seek out my chiro. was a debilitating pain in my shoulder and down my arm. It was caused by problems associated with my spine. I first went to a good orthopedic specialist who discussed imminent surgery after trying a series of injections.

My second opinion was my chiropractor! We decided to undergo treatment by him and see how I responded. That was several years ago and I've been pain free ever since. I still focus on spinal and muscle stretching in my yoga and Pilates, too.

It was unbelievable how much misery those pinched nerves can cause. I wish you a speedy recovery.

I love that decompression table! It makes a new person out of me.

Today's chiropractic clinics have a plethora of tools and techniques to help you get better. If you think all that is done is manipulation you are misinformed. Tens machines are used in every clinic I have been to as well as heat and cold therapy, laser therapy, massage therapy, vibration therapy, oxygen treatment and therapy, traction therapy, decompression therapy not available in all but it is in the bigger clinics, there's much more to it than simply manipulating though that can be a significant tool also. It totally depends on the type of injury or damage and where it is located. I get so much relief by using the tens machines, which are used in physical therapy as well as other types of pain management, I bought my own to have handy when I need it. It's a wonderful piece of equipment to have at home and easy to use.

I agree each person should make an informed decision for their own health care. Not everyone will choose the same path.

raven, I don't know (and would be interested to learn) what kind of medical professional you were. Are you a medical doctor.

The medical profession (meaning, physicians) gave up on their war against chiropractors years ago. Patients who don't want competent medical care can't be forced into doing what they don't want.

The chief criticism, which remains to this day, is that there is no body of evidence demonstrating effectiveness of chiropractic "theories". That's the standard that exists for mainstream medicine and other types of healthcare. Whether or not you like that, whether or not you understand it, that's the difference. Chiropractors can't admit patients to hospitals, can't see patients in hospitals (they'll say they "don't believe in it"). They can't prescribe medicine (often needed in treating medical problems). They'll say they "don't believe in that either". What they can do is take x-rays and give you a back rub, so that's what they do. They can also suggest diets, exercise and non-prescription herbs and vitamins, just like a medically untrained yoga instructor or the clerk behind the counter in a health food store can do.

I had a friend who was a chiropractor (we met as we each had a kid on a soccer team) and spent a few years of fall and spring Saturdays on the sideline gabbing with him. He readily admitted that he really had no clue what worked and didn't work and he doubted the efficacy of his trade. But he knew the way to make money was to convince patients that what he did was effective and he needed to see them once a week. If they balked at that, then every other week. He confessed that chiropractic training conveyed no real understanding of medicine. He wound up selling his practice to another chiropractor and going into a different line of work. He said he got to the point where he couldn't live with himself continuing as a chiropractor. So that's from the horse's mouth.

Well, Elmer, maybe your friend was just a lousy chiropractor. As stated, there are good ones and bad ones. The problem is how do you tell the difference. I feel the same way about chiropractors as I do about microwave ovens. I don't want to cook my whole meal in a microwave, or bake with it, but it's a great tool to add to my kitchen. If you find a really good chiropractor they can be very helpful. Unfortunately, there are a lot of charlatans out there.

Chiropractors treat symptoms and sometimes that's enough. Medical doctors treat disease and trauma. It's an important distinction.

A quick reply. Give it a rest. See if it will heal on its own by treating it gently....then return to Ortho-guy and see if physical therapy helps.

I would try a different orthopedist and ask if physical therapy would help.

Georgysmom, your's is a valid comment. I've stated my chiropractic information source, and the medical source is physicians I know and have asked over the years. This particular question usually evokes a smirk and a chuckle from them before anything is said in reply.

What's the source of your information?

I like the microwave oven comparison and have a thought about it. A chiropractor is as likely to successfully treat a medical condition as is a microwave oven likely to warm something when it isn't plugged in.

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Something to think about. To maintain accreditation status, medical schools are required to do research. ALL OF THEM DO SO. The research they do is to learn new things and to test (and try to disprove) theories advanced by research done elsewhere and by others. Many schools have programs to allow students to spend some time with researchers, it's thought to make them better docs.

Chiropractic schools do no research. None.

Any conclusion or thoughts?

It's too bad that more MDs don't apply chiropractic techniques that are known to be extremely effective in alleviating crippling pain. They limit themselves and their patients to pharmaceuticals and surgery.

Does chiropractic completely eliminate surgery? Not in some cases, but it can postpone it for years/decades, help speed up surgical recovery enormously, and reduce the need for pain relievers of any kind.

My husband eventually needed the disc surgery recommended by an ortho guy twenty years ago. Thank goodness he waited....the advances in back surgical procedures have been stunning.

I've seen ortho specialists for my knee, my shoulder, and my trigger thumb. As far as I'm concerned, their diagnosis of my problems was hackneyed and their suggested treatment was lazy and determined by $$$$$$. Lazy, lazy, lazy. I fully expect that I will need knee replacement at some time, if I live long enough, lol.

Fourteen years ago, the specialist recommended injections until an appointed surgical date....his nurse even came into the office with a needle! I'll never forget his supercilious response: "You're just not in enough pain, yet. Call me when you are." And he exited the office.

My internist and my husband's doctor both use the services of the chiropractor that we both see from time to time. We swap information. They are 'whole body' type of physicians, and I thank our lucky stars for having found them in the thick physician stew in my city.

My experience with a chiropractor was extremely positive. Not only did he work on my shoulder(trapezius muscle) but his treatment included PT and Tens therapy, In the end, I walked away pain free. It was a very positive experience and I wish he was still in practice in this area.

I went to a chiropractor and found it to be too expensive for the worth. I also didn't allow aggressive therapy.

I found great full body stretching videos on youtube and that has made a huge difference. I also did physiotherapy - also good. I really should get back on it for upkeep. Good luck.

I had a bad shoulder for years, they said it was a frozen shoulder. The only thing I didn't do was to see acupuncturist. That would be what I suggest to you. It finally went away after several yrs.

I would never, could never will never see a chiropractor. Ever. Never. If you don't like the diagnosis the bone specialist gave you, get a second opinion. I got a diagnosis of "degenerative disc disease between the C5 and C6 along with a torn muscle in front of my shoulder on the right side". Physical therapy (I still need to book) and Vomovo for pain. Vomovo really upsets my stomach. Not sure if I want to put up with the pain in my stomach, or the awful pain in my upper back/shoulder. The tear in my muscle itself doesn't hurt at all.

That "shoulder bone specialist" is an idiot if all he/she told you was you "had done something" to yourself. You already knew that, otherwise you wouldn't have been in his/her office. Shoulders often need not just an x-ray, but an MRI as well to take a look at the soft tissue, like muscles and nerves. It could be pinched nerves, but wouldn't it be nice to know? It could be a rotator cuff injury. PT is often helpful for shoulder injuries, as is chiropractic, but the therapist has to know what the injury actually is first. Were I you, I'd work on getting that pinned down, especially if anyone wants to mess around with your neck. Necks are serious business.

[DS's shoulder pain turned out to be a bulging disk in his neck. The PT is helping him with exercises, knocking off sword fighting for the near future, and remembering to stand up straight. DH's shoulder pain of sudden onset, turned out to be a chip in the bone at the shoulder - the rotator cuff had pulled a bit of bone away during an acute injury scenario. He did rest and then PT. All shoulder injuries seem to take months to get better, although a broken bone heals faster than soft tissue damage.]

Elmer, glad you took my comment about your chiropractor friend in the vein in which it was meant...LOL. Years ago when I was about 40, I went to my first chiropractor. Never thought I would, but overheard a woman talking about her chiropractor, who seemed to be her main doctor, but he would tell her he couldn't help her, she had to see such and such a doctor because he thought her problem was such and such when her symptoms were something that required a medical doctor. In other words, he knew his place and what he could do for her and what he couldn't. I decided to see him because my knee and back were hurting and I was having great difficulty getting in and out of my Jeep. He took X-rays and said the problem was not with my back but with my neck. He correctly placed me in an automobile accident and even told me approximately 20 years prior. He showed me the X-rays and said I had a reverse curvature of the neck. He reversed the curvature to almost what it should be......something he was told couldn't be done when he was in chiropractic school (I saw X-rays later taken by another chiropractor and saw the curvature reversed) I use to get violent headaches before I went to him...never mentioned that to him but after seeing him for two years, no longer got those headaches and very rarely get headaches at all. Also, he did not insist I see him twice a week or three times (he thought anything more than twice a week was useless, excessive and nothing more than money grabbing) He said I will know when I need to come only once a week and hopefully just once every six months for maintenance. Unfortunately, DH was transferred and I haven't really found a chiropractor in the last 30 years that is anywhere near as good and some of them pretty bad. By the way, the first chiropractor had very little use for most in his profession. He didn't feel they practiced true chiropractic. I do believe if you're lucky enough to find a good one they can do wonders

Cookie, our BC/BS covers numerous visits to a chiropractor per year, but I would pay out of pocket if I had to.

Perfect rhizo. Lucky. Mine had me going 4x's/wk and the appointments were literally 3 minutes long at most. It was suggested I do this for three months and then drop to 2 x's/wk. I found a stretch over a stability ball worked wonders for my stiff spine.

I may try a new chiropractor my ND recommended but am not having any complications right now.

I didn't do this but to the main poster - maybe go to a few clinics for an intro to get a feel for the place?

NDs and chiropractors have a lot in common and tend to refer to one another. From what I've seen, the kind of person who might go to one will often also like going to the other.

I hope you see real medical doctors when ill or having a medical problem.

Differentiating isolated shoulder pain from pain radiating from the neck can be difficult. Did the shoulder doc recommend PT?

Many treatments are available and the key is finding what works for you.

For shoulder pain, I would start with PT, NSAIDS, maybe get a ortho-spine consult, and try interventional pain management injections, before considering surgery.

http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2016/01/shocking-confessions-naturopathic-doctor.html

After reading x-rays - shoulder bone specialist advised I had "done something to myself"

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This is a ridiculous reading and explanation of an x-ray, or x-rays.

I would take those x-rays, assuming they were done correctly, to an orthopedist, preferably a shoulder specialist who could provide a diagnosis or rule out pathology.

I would do this before I sought chiropractic intervention.

I hope you get relief!

My doctor gave me a choice, PT or a Chiro. I took the cheaper one, chiro, and it was great. I had ribs out of place and some adjustments made my neck feel a lot better. My shoulder took a long time to get better but the chiro work helped a lot. I don't think PT would have helped me much. Original complaint was lack of motion in shoulder. Common in women my age, mid-50's then.

mdln, I read KevinMD all the time. I remember reading that article by Britt Hermes. If you search her, you will see she has many other articles regarding naturopathy. The comments are also pretty interesting in that article, if I remember correctly.

mimipadv - thank you for your response. The ridiculous statement by the specialist cost me almost $200.

Remember...if you itemize, you can list medical expenses that are not covered by insurance. You can also list mileage to and from all medical appointments. Speak with a tax advisor.

Maybe you could try physical therapy. I've tried both PT and chiro. Both were fine. However, I liked the PT better because she showed me what to do at home as far as exercises, which I do to this day. I haven't had any further problems.

I was recently diagnosed with Degenerative Disc Disease and there is no way I would see a chiropractor, even though many websites recommend them. Nope. No way. And can you get a better diagnosis than "you did something?" What exactly is the damage? I went for pain in my upper shoulder near my spine. Turns out I also have a small tear in the front of my shoulder at my upper arm. Doesn't hurt at all... But the DDD.... brings me to tears. :( I've had 2 rx's for physical therapy and I've lost both!!! Too scared to ask my dr for one more. She'll have me tested for Alzheimers... :)

You want to avoid a condition called frozen shoulder. The doctor failed in his/her "diagnosis" you should have been advised as to whether rest, physical therapy or?? would help. Since s/he did none of those the chiropractor is looking better. But you could also get a second opinion somewhere. You might even find that when you get copies of your records to take to another doctor for the second opinion that in fact there's a diagnosis in the records that the first doctor didn't bother to inform you up because s/he didn't think you were smart enough to understand. Some of these doctors' egos are just a little out of control. The chiropractor will actually deal with your body hands-on, doctors avoid touching your body so long as you're conscious. But before I would let anybody manipulate my back or neck, I would look long and hard at their reputation for skill and if possible talk to other people who have gone to that person.

Agree with practigal, check out credentials.