At our acupuncture clinic in Boca Raton we ‘ve had tremendous success treating patients with acupuncture for shoulder pain. Before we discuss how acupuncture works for shoulder pain let’s delve into some common cause of shoulder pain and conventional ways of treating the shoulder.
The Shoulder – a combination of several joints
Sometimes you may forget how important your shoulder is until it starts hurting. The shoulder is usually a combination of several joints that allows the arm to move in many directions. Shoulder pain can be so discomforting to an extent of preventing you from even performing simple tasks such as driving, writing, and even just raising your hand over your head. There are various causes of shoulder pain which include:
- Tendon inflammation – This is a type of shoulder pain caused by repeated activities such as playing tennis or throwing a ball. The inflammation usually occurs to the tendons bursa or the tendons surrounding the shoulder joint. Bursitis and tendinitis have been known to be the major examples of inflammation that are usually characterized by severe pain. If this medical condition is not treated appropriately, it can prevent you from moving your hand normally and can also cause chronic pain.
- Arthritis – Arthritis can either be due to a previous shoulder injury or as a part of the aging process. Most people with shoulder arthritis usually lose a wide range of motions and also experience chronic pain.
- Instability – There are various causes of shoulder instability which includes infection, over working or sudden impact on your shoulder. Shoulder joint dislocation is one of the commonly known forms of shoulder instability, and if it does not get the right medical attention, it can lead to severe pain and reduced motion range. If your shoulder dislocates the overstretched tendons becomes loose resulting in long-term shoulder instability which can also lead to frequent dislocations and limited shoulder motion range.
- Fracture – If you have a broken or cracked bone on your upper arm or the shoulder blade, you will obviously end up feeling a lot of pain. Most shoulder fractures are simply treated by splitting or casting, however; there are some advanced conditions that require an advance mode of treatment such as surgery. Although the arm may be in a cast, the muscles and ligaments holding the shoulder in position may become loose and result in chronic pain.
- Frozen shoulder – This is a condition that limits an individual’s range of motion. Also known as capsulitis, frozen shoulder is normally caused by the scar that develops due to the thickening and tightening of shoulder tissues. Capsulitis usually prevents the arm from rotating properly in most cases limiting to 40 to 60 degrees motion range.
- Fibromyalgia – This is medical disorder characterized by widespread severe pain in joints and muscles. This condition can be categorized a syndrome which is a collection of symptoms that occur simultaneously.
Western Medical Treatments for Shoulder Pain
Since shoulder pain can be very discomforting and usually continue to advance and become worse as time goes by, there is always a need to curb this condition. There are various ways that have been derived for relieving shoulder pain. When you visit a hospital seeking for shoulder pain treatment, the doctor usually starts by making a physical examination.
The doctor can use the common diagnostic procedures to diagnose your shoulder so as to determine the cause and intensity of the condition. After diagnosing your problem, the doctor can recommend the following types of treatment:
- Medication- prescribing medicines such as painkillers (opioids), muscle relaxers, NSAID’s and other anti-inflammatory medicines is often the norm.
- Physical therapy- This is a treatment that is usually suitable for conditions such as frozen shoulder. Physical therapy usually involves exercising your shoulder joint to restore the lost motion.
- Surgery- This is an advanced shoulder treatment method that helps to treat advanced shoulder pain caused by conditions such as fractures, a broken bone or overstretched tendons.
Acupuncture for Shoulder Pain – how it works
Acupuncture is a form of Chinese Medicine, and it is a healing technique that involves stimulating specific body points by inserting thin sterilized needles under the skin. The needles have an endorphin releasing and anti-inflammatory effect on the part of the body being worked on with acupuncture.
Study results show that acupuncture is a great technique of relieving various types of body pain, including shoulder pain. According to a research report published by Dr. Ming Yi, Neuroscience Research Institute, Peking University acupuncture helps to effectively relieve shoulder pain as well as restoring the functionality of the patient’s arm and shoulder.
After a thorough exam is administered to find the root cause of your shoulder pain, a treatment plan is formulated that includes acupuncture and sometimes other healing modalities such as prescribing Chinese herbs to complement treatment, Chinese cupping, and Tuina massage on the area being treated.
Boca Raton Acupuncture prides itself on finding the root cause of each patient’s ailment and developing workable treatment plans that produce results. Our consultations are always free. Call us and let us help you get out of pain starting today!
