Arm & Leg Pain Treatment in Walnut Creek, California
When Arm or Leg Pain Starts Getting in the Way of Everyday Life
Maybe it hurts to lift a grocery bag.
Your arm aches after working at your computer.
You feel pain traveling down your leg when you sit or drive.
Walking isn't as comfortable as it used to be.
Or perhaps you're experiencing something harder to describe; burning, tingling, numbness, heaviness, or weakness that makes you wonder what's going on.
Arm and leg symptoms can interfere with work, exercise, sleep, driving, household activities, and the things you enjoy doing.
And sometimes the place where you feel the pain isn't necessarily where the problem begins.
At Stojanovich Chiropractic in Walnut Creek, California, Dr. Nick Stojanovich, D.C. evaluates musculoskeletal arm and leg complaints to help determine what may be contributing to your symptoms and whether chiropractic care is appropriate.
What Can Cause Arm or Leg Pain?
There isn't one answer.
Pain in an arm or leg can originate from muscles, joints, tendons, nerves, the spine, or other structures.
Sometimes the source is relatively local.
A shoulder problem may produce arm discomfort. A knee, hip, ankle, muscle, or tendon problem may contribute to leg pain.
In other situations, symptoms may originate somewhere else.
Certain problems involving the neck can produce symptoms that extend into an arm or hand, while some lower-back conditions can contribute to symptoms extending into the buttock, leg, or foot.
And importantly, some arm and leg symptoms can have causes unrelated to the musculoskeletal system.
That's why evaluation comes before treatment.
What Can Cause Arm or Leg Pain?
There isn't one answer.
Pain in an arm or leg can originate from muscles, joints, tendons, nerves, the spine, or other structures.
Sometimes the source is relatively local.
A shoulder problem may produce arm discomfort. A knee, hip, ankle, muscle, or tendon problem may contribute to leg pain.
In other situations, symptoms may originate somewhere else.
Certain problems involving the neck can produce symptoms that extend into an arm or hand, while some lower-back conditions can contribute to symptoms extending into the buttock, leg, or foot.
And importantly, some arm and leg symptoms can have causes unrelated to the musculoskeletal system.
That's why evaluation comes before treatment.
Is My Arm Pain Coming From My Neck?
Sometimes.
Nerves originating in the cervical spine travel into the shoulders, arms, hands, and fingers.
When a cervical nerve root becomes irritated or compressed, symptoms can sometimes extend away from the neck and into an upper extremity.
Depending on what's involved, you might experience:
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Pain traveling from the neck or shoulder into the arm
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Tingling or pins and needles
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Numbness
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Burning sensations
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Changes in sensation
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Weakness
But arm pain doesn't automatically mean you have a pinched nerve in your neck.
Shoulder, elbow, wrist, muscle, tendon, nerve, and other conditions can produce symptoms in the arm as well.
Dr. Nick Stojanovich, D.C looks at the pattern of your symptoms and examination findings rather than assuming where the problem originates.
Is My Leg Pain Coming From My Lower Back?
It can.
Nerve-related problems originating in the lumbar spine may sometimes produce symptoms that extend into the buttock, thigh, lower leg, or foot.
You may notice shooting pain, burning, tingling, numbness, or other sensations.
People often refer to this as sciatica, particularly when symptoms follow the distribution of the sciatic nerve or its contributing nerve roots.
But not every painful leg is sciatica.
Problems involving the hip, knee, muscles, tendons, joints, nerves, circulation, and other conditions can also produce leg symptoms.
An appropriate evaluation can help determine what deserves further investigation.
Arm and Leg Pain From a Pinched Nerve
“Pinched nerve” is a common phrase patients use when they experience shooting pain, numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness in an arm or leg.
Sometimes nerve irritation or compression really is involved.
But those symptoms don't tell us exactly where the nerve is affected—or why.
A nerve-related problem could potentially originate near the spine or somewhere else along the nerve's pathway.
That's why Dr. Nick Stojanovich, D.C. doesn't simply hear “my hand is tingling” or “pain shoots down my leg” and automatically assume the spine is responsible.
The symptoms need context.
Herniated Discs and Arm or Leg Pain
A herniated disc is another possible contributor to radiating arm or leg symptoms.
In the neck, a cervical disc problem may affect a nearby nerve root and contribute to symptoms extending into an arm or hand.
In the lower back, a lumbar disc problem may affect a nerve root and contribute to symptoms extending into a leg.
But having a herniated or bulging disc on an MRI doesn't automatically mean that disc is causing your symptoms.
Disc changes can sometimes appear on imaging in people without pain.
The important question is whether the imaging finding makes sense when compared with your symptoms and examination.
What Does Nerve-Related Arm or Leg Pain Feel Like?
Musculoskeletal pain and nerve-related symptoms don't always feel the same.
People sometimes describe nerve-related symptoms as:
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Shooting
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Burning
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Electric
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Tingling
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Pins and needles
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Numbness
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Pain that travels
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Changes in sensation
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Weakness
By comparison, some muscle and joint complaints may feel more like localized aching, soreness, stiffness, or discomfort associated with particular movements.
These descriptions can provide useful clues, but symptoms alone aren't enough to diagnose the cause.
What Happens During an Arm or Leg Pain Evaluation?
Your visit begins with a conversation about what's happening.
Dr. Nick Stojanovich, D.C. may ask:
Where exactly do you feel the pain?
Does it stay in one place or travel?
Is it aching, sharp, burning, tingling, numb, or something else?
When did it begin?
Was there an injury?
Does sitting, standing, walking, lifting, driving, or exercising affect it?
Are you experiencing weakness?
Do you also have neck or back pain?
Have the symptoms been getting better, worse, or staying the same?
Your examination may include assessment of spinal and extremity movement, musculoskeletal function, strength, sensation, reflexes, and other neurological findings when appropriate.
The purpose isn't simply to confirm that something hurts.
It's to determine what the findings suggest should happen next.
Do I Need an X-Ray or MRI for Arm or Leg Pain?
Not necessarily.
Imaging isn't automatically required for every painful arm or leg.
Whether X-rays, MRI, or another type of diagnostic evaluation is appropriate depends on your symptoms, history, examination findings, neurological findings, previous injuries, and other clinical considerations.
If Dr. Nick Stojanovich, D.C. believes imaging is appropriate, he can discuss the next step or refer you for diagnostic imaging when necessary.
If you already have imaging related to your current symptoms, bring the available report and images with you.
Chiropractic Care for Arm and Leg Pain
Chiropractic care may be appropriate when arm or leg symptoms are related to certain musculoskeletal conditions.
But treatment depends on the cause.
If Dr. Nick Stojanovich, D.C. determines that your symptoms appear related to a condition appropriate for chiropractic care, he can develop an individualized treatment approach based on your examination and clinical findings.
That may include chiropractic techniques and, when appropriate, supportive therapies or movement recommendations.
The goal isn't to treat every painful arm or leg with an adjustment.
It's to identify whether chiropractic care makes sense for your particular problem.
Supportive Therapies When Appropriate
Stojanovich Chiropractic offers several supportive therapeutic modalities that may be incorporated into an individualized treatment plan when appropriate.
Depending on the condition being addressed, Dr. Nick Stojanovich, D.C. may consider therapies such as mechanical traction, therapeutic ultrasound, cold laser therapy, red light therapy, or other available modalities.
Not every therapy is appropriate for every condition or every patient.
Your examination helps determine whether a supportive therapy belongs in your care plan at all.
When Arm or Leg Pain Needs Prompt Medical Attention
Not every painful arm or leg is a chiropractic problem.
Certain symptoms require prompt or emergency medical attention.
Seek appropriate urgent or emergency care for symptoms such as:
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Sudden or severe weakness
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New difficulty walking or coordinating movement
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Sudden numbness or significant neurological changes
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An arm or leg that suddenly becomes unusually cold, pale, blue, or markedly swollen
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Severe symptoms following significant trauma
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Chest discomfort, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or other concerning symptoms occurring with arm pain
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New loss of bladder or bowel control associated with back or leg symptoms
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Numbness around the groin, inner thighs, or saddle area
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Other sudden, severe, or rapidly worsening symptoms
These symptoms should not be assumed to be a pinched nerve, muscle strain, or spinal problem.
Frequently Asked Questions About Arm and Leg Pain
Why Does Pain Shoot Down My Arm?
Pain traveling into an arm can have several causes. In some cases, irritation or compression of a nerve root in the neck may contribute. Shoulder, peripheral nerve, muscle, tendon, joint, and other conditions can also cause arm symptoms.
Can Neck Problems Cause Arm Pain?
Yes. Certain cervical spine conditions can affect nearby nerve roots and contribute to pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness extending into an arm or hand.
Why Does Pain Shoot Down My Leg?
Pain traveling down the leg may sometimes involve a nerve originating in the lower back, including sciatic-type symptoms. However, leg pain has many possible causes and shouldn't automatically be assumed to be sciatica.
Can Lower-Back Problems Cause Leg Pain?
Yes. Certain conditions involving the lumbar spine can contribute to symptoms extending into the buttock or leg, particularly when a nerve root is involved.
Is Leg Pain Always Sciatica?
No. Sciatica is one possible explanation for certain patterns of leg symptoms, but hip, knee, muscle, tendon, nerve, vascular, and other conditions can also cause leg pain.
Can a Herniated Disc Cause Arm or Leg Pain?
Yes. Depending on its location and whether a nearby nerve root is affected, a cervical disc herniation may contribute to arm symptoms.
Looking for Help With Arm & Leg Pain in Walnut Creek, California?
If aching, tingling, numbness, or pain traveling into your arms or legs is making it harder to work, exercise, drive, sleep, or enjoy your everyday activities, you don't have to figure out what's causing it on your own.
Arm and leg pain can have many possible causes, including muscle, joint, spinal, or nerve-related conditions. Not every symptom originates in the spine, and not every condition is appropriate for chiropractic care.
With more than 27 years in practice, Dr. Nick Stojanovich, D.C. provides individualized chiropractic and musculoskeletal evaluations for patients in Walnut Creek and surrounding Contra Costa County and East Bay communities.
Contact Stojanovich Chiropractic to schedule an evaluation and determine the appropriate next step for your arm or leg pain.
