Acupuncture for Frozen shoulder

Acupuncture for Frozen shoulder

The shoulder is prone to injury due its structure and function.   As a ball and socket joint, there is more mobility, therefore more chance for injury.

Key structures around the shoulder include the biceps tendon, and the rotator cuff muscles (the Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor, Subscapularis) which help to move and stabilize the shoulder.

Are you suffering from shoulder pain, but don’t want to have surgery or take drugs to ease the pain? You may have been told you need to get steroid shots or take other measures that only mask the discomfort, but there are natural shoulder pain treatments that can provide as good if not better relief. This is particularly true if you have what is referred to as “frozen shoulder syndrome.”

Understanding Frozen Shoulder Syndrome

Frozen shoulder syndrome usually presents with the following symptoms:

Pain in the shoulder worsens at night

Shoulder movement is restricted by pain, especially during rotation and adduction

Pain often persists for two years or longer, even after treatment has begun

Adduction of the shoulder is the movement of the arm toward the body’s midline. For example, if you hold you arm out straight out at the shoulder and bring it down to your side, this is an example of adduction. This sort of movement is painful for those who have frozen shoulder syndrome.

People who have Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, thyroid problems or cardiovascular disease are more likely to develop frozen shoulder syndrome than the average population. Those who have suffered from a stroke are also at higher risk, and as many as 40 percent of people diagnosed with diabetes will suffer from frozen shoulder syndrome at one point or another.

Acupuncture Treatment for Shoulder Pain

Acupuncture treatment focuses on reducing inflammation, improving blood flow and decreasing pain.  Acupuncture excels at treating the chronic, nagging type injuries that don’t respond well to conventional treatment.

Acupuncture involves the insertion of thin, pre-sterilized needles in various areas of the body to elicit a response.  Acupuncture stimulates the release of the opiods (pain killing chemicals) as well as adenosine- a natural pain killer with anti-inflammatory properties.

Unlike a cortisone injection, which is given directly in the injured area, acupuncture needles do not have to be placed in an already injured area. By using a style of acupunture that focuses on distal treatments (ie-away from painful areas), we can achieve results without causing any additional discomfort