A 59-year-old man came to our clinic complaining of severe right shoulder pain for the past four months. He felt like a muscle had torn deep in his shoulder, but his doctor told him it was probably frozen shoulder. The pain was excruciating when he did specific movements above his head, particularly quick movements. This shoulder pain acupuncture case study describes the excellent Raleigh Acupuncture protocol that resolved his pain without the need for surgery, steroid injections, or even physical therapy.
Frozen Shoulder – The 50 Year Old Problem
In China, frozen shoulder translates as the “fifty-year-old shoulder.” In our clinic, this naming convention holds. Most of our cases of frozen shoulder affect women and men in their fifties and older. The Western name for the condition is adhesive capsulitis. Common symptoms include shoulder pain, limited range of motion, and stiffness. Over time the shoulder loses more and more range of motion.
Shoulder Pain Acupuncture Case Study
Our patient came to see us four months after his shoulder started giving him trouble. The pain began when he took up playing tennis again after many years. He had been working hard on his serve and had just gotten it back where he wanted it when his shoulder began hurting. The next thing he knew, he could not raise his arm above his head without triggering severe pain, completely sidelining his tennis game.
At first, he thought it was a pulled muscle. So he took off a month. But the injury did not heal. Then he thought he must have torn a muscle. So he made an appointment with his doctor. After an examination, his doctor concluded, correctly, that it probably was not a torn muscle. Given his age and presentation, his injury was most likely adhesive capsulitis. His doctor offered a cortisone injection and physical therapy. But our patient’s wife had accompanied him to his appointment that day and had read that acupuncture was a highly effective treatment for frozen shoulder. She encouraged him to hold off with the injection and try acupuncture first.
Frozen Shoulder Acupuncture Treatment
Acupuncture restores mobility and relieves pain, all without medications or surgery. It taps into the body’s healing energy, allowing the patient to overcome blockage, which is the root of the pain and limited range of motion in the shoulder joint.
When our patient arrived for his first appointment, he was feeling discouraged. He could barely use his right arm to shave in the morning, could not tuck in his shirt, reach for a water glass on a high shelf in the kitchen or throw a football with his son.
As far as he could tell, each passing month made his condition worse, not better. That had never happened before. Up until now, rest had always improved injuries. But currently, at age 59, resting his shoulder was not working. Age seemed to be finally catching up with him.
Range Of Motion
We conducted a full examination, took a medical history, and established the movements his arm could make before the treatment. Then we started his first treatment. It involved a series of modalities including acupuncture, electroacupuncture, cupping, and Dong Qi technique, which is a technique where the practitioner has the patient gently move the affected limb during treatment to heal an area of blockage, in this case, the shoulder. All of these techniques are safe and comfortable for the patient.
During this process, our patient increased his range of motion by 60 degrees during his first treatment. He was amazed. It happened before his very eyes. His arm was able to move in a way that was impossible just moments before, without pain and seemingly without explanation. But there was an explanation – Chinese medicine. There was a 2,000-year track record of success resolving frozen shoulder. It’s just that people don’t know about it.
Successful Recovery
Over the next two months, with weekly treatments, our patient fully healed from his frozen shoulder. Each week he regained more and more functionality. Between treatments, he stretched, reclaiming the new progress he had gained from that week’s session. He was thrilled with the outcome.
Next Steps
If you or someone you love has an injury similar to this shoulder pain acupuncture case study, try acupuncture.
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What our Clients are Saying
Tennis player with shoulder pain. Getting worse to the point of freezing up. Went to acupuncture. Starting easing immediately. Now back to tennis full force with no shoulder pain. I recommend this practice.
After shoulder surgery following a car accident, my shoulder was always stiff and achy. PT helped, but I suffered every day from shoulder pain. I went to Raleigh Acupuncture and they really helped. I did four treatments and my shoulder pain was completely gone.
I’m a golfer and started having trouble with my left shoulder over a year ago. My doctor wanted to do surgery, but I wanted to try other alternatives first. So I tried acupuncture. The folks at Raleigh Acupuncture were very professional, reasonably priced and did excellent work. They resolved my shoulder pain completely. I use them now for other pains in my post-50 body! Thank you Raleigh Acupuncture.
