As a chiropractic practice, we at the Carrollton office of Dr. Peter Lazarnick (Dr. Pete) are experts in the interplay between the musculoskeletal system and the nerves. Often, shocks and numbness in one part of the body can be traced to an impingement of the nerve somewhere else. An example of this phenomenon is the common sports injury known as a stinger or a burner. As we enter the fall season, this kind of problem becomes more common, so we want to ensure our patients recognize it and take it seriously.
A stinger is called that because it often feels like a shock traveling from the shoulder to the hand, although it might also feel like tingling. The nerves that lead to our arms emerge from the spinal cord in the lower part of our necks, also known as the cervical region. The separate roots bundle together in the shoulder, but then divide again in two on their way down the arm and into the hand. When a person’s head is forced sideways and their shoulder on the same side is forced downward, the nerve roots in between the neck and shoulder can get stretched. This causes an electric discharge that travels along the nerve.
Stingers often occur in the context of football and similar contact sports. A player may be able to return to the game after they stop feeling symptoms, but should not do so before then. Suffering one stinger puts a person at risk for more, and if they feel recurring pain or numbness, they should seek our care. We perform chiropractic adjustments by hand and instrument to relieve nerve impingements in the neck and use a variety of soft tissue therapies to reduce swelling in damaged shoulder muscles. Moving forward, proper stretching before a game can somewhat reduce the risk of recurrent stingers, but players may also need to wear specialized padding.
Dr. Peter Lazarnick is located at 486 Bankhead Hwy, Carrollton, Georgia, 30117. To schedule an appointment, call 770-832-2226 or visit www.askdrpete.com.