Do you have arm or leg pain?

Arm and leg pain is more than one thing

Arm and leg pain is a name for a lot of different problems. A nerve leaving the neck can send pain into the arm. A nerve leaving the low back can send it into the leg. A joint, a muscle, or an old sprain can hurt on its own. Without a look at those parts, it is hard to say where the pain is coming from. This is a guide to the issues we see most often. A visit is how we tell which one is yours.

Pain down the arm or the leg

People describe a sharp, burning, or deep ache that leaves the spine and shows up in the shoulder, the hand, the hip, or the foot. It can stay on one side. A long drive, a desk day, or a walk can all turn it up. The pain is real even when nobody can point to one injury. Care here looks at the structural pattern that keeps feeding it, not only the sore spot.

Numbness and a limb that tires

Arm and leg pain is not only pain. Some people feel pins and needles, a patch of numbness, a grip that fades, or a foot that does not feel steady. The exam looks at whether a nerve is involved and which one, so care is aimed at the right place.

When it starts in the spine

The discs sit between the vertebrae. When the outer edge is damaged, the center can bulge or push out and irritate a nerve that feeds the arm or the leg. The way the spine lines up can do the same. Neck pain that travels into the arm is covered on the neck pain page. Pain from the low back into the leg is covered on the sciatica page and the back pain page.

The joint, the muscle, or an old sprain

Not every pain in a limb is a nerve. A shoulder, an elbow, a hip, a knee, or an ankle can be the thing that hurts, including after a sprain that never quite settled. Tight muscle can send pain down a limb even when the disc is not the driver. The first job is to tell those apart.

When it needs a different doctor

Chest pain with pain in the arm, a limb that is suddenly weak or cold, or changes in bowel or bladder control with leg pain need a medical doctor now. Other problems outside the spine can also send pain into an arm or a leg. Those need to be sorted out, not guessed at. The exam is how we tell whether chiropractic care is the right next step.

Measured, then tracked

A thorough exam lets us see what is going on. We take objective measures of structure and function, including on-site X-rays, and we use those measures to track progress. The exam covers a wide set of metrics, so plan 90 to 120 minutes for the initial visit.

Peter Lenhart, Director of Rehab, helps patients improve structure and function with specialized exercises and angular tractions. More on the approach is on the CBP page.

I went to Dr. Eberle after rolling my ankle and thought it would be a better solution than going to see a medical doctor. He was able to take an x-ray, do an adjustment, and use a laser machine that was able to heal the tissue and reduce swelling. He also has strong knowledge with how to use kinesiology tape and I found that to be much more helpful than a brace. Overall, I felt very comfortable with Dr. Eberle as he keeps a high level of professionalism with his work and I trusted him to take care of my injury through the entire healing process. I would highly recommend the services that he provides.Megan

Questions about arm and leg pain