Arm and leg pain can start in the joint itself, or at the spine, where an irritated nerve sends pain down its whole path. With so many possible causes, an accurate diagnosis comes first. Dr. Kalay uses a thorough history, a physical exam and imaging to find what is actually behind it.
Sounds familiar?
Shoulders and hips are two of the most mobile, most used joints in the body. That combination opens the door to a wide range of injuries, and the source of the pain isn’t always where you feel it. One hip sitting higher than the other is a common example; we’ve written up what uneven hips mean and what can change them. When the pain runs along a nerve, here’s what a pinched nerve is and how it’s found.
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A weekend warrior who overdid it in a game, a car accident, lifting too much at work or at home, a grandparent who fell asleep holding a grandchild in one position all night. These usually hurt right away, from irritation or damage to muscle, bone or nerve.
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Many people develop arm or leg pain gradually and can’t say what caused it. Arthritis, bursitis, tendinitis and frozen shoulder are common suspects when the pain seems to come from nowhere.
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Nerves travel from the spine all the way to the fingertips and toes. When vertebrae are out of position and the spaces where nerves leave the spine narrow, the nerve gets irritated and can hurt along its entire path. Sciatica is a familiar example.
Care starts with the most common, most typical cause first. For pain that travels into an arm or leg, that often means the spine. Dr. Kalay explains what he found and walks you through the plan before anything begins.
For the spine and nerves
When vertebrae are out of position and lose their ability to move properly, they can irritate the nerves that leave the spine, and the pain shows up farther down the arm or leg. Adjustments work to improve that position and movement, so the nerve isn’t being irritated at its source.
How it worksFor the knees and hips
When the foot is an unstable foundation, stress can travel up into the knees and hips. These orthotics are designed to improve how the foot communicates with the brain and muscles, easing that strain.
How it worksWhere every plan starts
A consultation and exam to find the cause, then a plan you understand before care begins. Your first consultation is complimentary.
I had been low back in pain for years and also two plus years where from my neck down to my finger tips were numb 24/7. … Doc listens and remembers concerns each time, beyond thankful.
Reviews are quoted as written. Individual results vary.
Reviewed by
Dr. Gurj Kalay, DC
Doctor of Chiropractic, Palmer College of Chiropractic West (2014)
General information, not medical advice. Your own exam decides your care.
Yes. Many of the body’s nerves run from the spine all the way to the fingertips and toes. When vertebrae are out of position and the spaces where nerves leave the spine narrow, the nerve can be irritated and produce pain along its entire path. This is called referred pain, and sciatica is a familiar example.
A muscle strain usually stays local, with a dull ache or stiffness where the muscle is. A pinched nerve tends to travel: down the arm into the hand, often with pins and needles, numbness or a weaker grip. An exam is the reliable way to tell the two apart.
He starts with a thorough history and physical exam, with imaging when it’s needed. Where the pain is, what makes it better or worse, what kind of pain it is, and signs like swelling, skin changes or bruising all help point to the source.
Often, when the cause is at the spine. Care starts with the most common cause first. If vertebrae have lost their position and movement and are irritating a nerve, adjustments work on that, rather than only on the arm or leg where you feel it.
Not all referred pain comes from the spine. Pain down the left arm can be an early sign of a heart attack, and an inflamed gallbladder can cause pain under the right shoulder blade; both need medical care right away. So do weakness that keeps getting worse, numbness that spreads, or any change in bladder or bowel control.
A full exam to find where arm and leg pain starts, and adjustments when the source is the spine, on Century Park Drive. The clinic serves Yuba City, Marysville, Live Oak, Gridley, Plumas Lake, Olivehurst, Wheatland and Colusa.
Call or book online. Your first consultation with Dr. Kalay is complimentary.
New patient? Send the new patient form and the team will contact you to set up your first visit.
New patient special437 Century Park Dr Ste A · Yuba City, CA
