SOMA Living April 2026

FROM THE DOCTOR

WHY AM I HAVING SHOULDER, ARM & HAND PAIN

Did You Know... Your neck must balance your head all day, and it does it with a mix of the small joints of your 7 cervical vertebrae and a multitude of hard-working muscles on the sides and back of your neck. When that system is under stress from phone and computer use; driving and sitting with poor posture; old injuries; poor sleeping postures, the cervical spine gets tight and restricted. As a result, there is discomfort and pain which doesn’t always stay in your neck. That’s why you can wake up with a stiff neck… then notice your shoulder feels achy, your arm feels heavy, or your hand gets that tingly feeling when you’re scrolling or reaching for something. It feels like a mismatch because you didn’t “do anything” to your arm. But when the neck gets irritated, it can change what you feel farther down the line. Why It Matters When the muscles supporting your neck stay tight, they will not only restrict motion but will irritate the exiting nerves. Over time this becomes a chronic issue even if the pain comes and goes. Why is that you ask? The nerve can be irritated causing lack of function to other areas of the body even when you are pai free. This is because only 10% of the nerves deal with pain and 90% deal with function. What you will feel on and off is pulling and gripping of your shoulder and upper arm. That can make even holding your phone feel uncomfortable faster than it should. With a proper evaluation through infrared thermal imaging and digital films of the neck we can determine if yours is a chiropractic case or not. Getting to the cause of the problem is the key to finding a safe and effective solution.

Meet the Natural Pain Relievers at South Orange Chiropractic Center Moving people from pain to wellness. Dr. Stephen Levine • Dr. Mark Roczey • Dr. Michael Chapman 60 First Street, South Orange, NJ 07079 973-761-0022 Go to SouthOrangeChiropractic.com to download our FREE E-book on Health and Wellness

Stephen Levine D.C. South Orange Chiropractic Center SouthOrangeChiropractic.com Phone: 973.761.0022

APRIL 2026 | SOMA LIVING 25

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