Shoulder pain

Shoulder pain is a common complaint that can considerably limit everyday functioning. Think of pain when putting on a coat, taking something out of a cupboard, driving, exercising or sleeping on the affected shoulder. The pain can be local or radiate to the upper arm or shoulder blade, and is regularly accompanied by stiffness, restricted movement or a tired feeling in the arm. The complaints can arise suddenly after an awkward movement or injury, but also often develop gradually through overuse or prolonged muscle tension.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are regularly used worldwide for both acute and chronic shoulder complaints. Within traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) we look not only at the shoulder itself, but also at the factors that cause the complaints to arise or persist. As a result, two people with the same diagnosis can nevertheless receive a different treatment.

Common complaints

People with shoulder pain may, among other things, experience:

Western conditions in which shoulder pain can occur

Shoulder pain is a symptom and can occur with a wide range of conditions, such as:

Even when no clear medical cause is found, shoulder complaints can remain present for a long time.

Possible causes

Shoulder pain can have various causes. Sometimes the complaint arises suddenly after an awkward movement, a fall or a sports injury. More often the complaints develop gradually through repeated strain on muscles and tendons, prolonged screen work or reduced mobility of the shoulder joint.

Factors that can promote the onset or persistence of shoulder complaints include:

Often several factors play a role at the same time.

What can acupuncture do?

Over the course of treatment we look not only at the pain in the shoulder, but also at the factors that can hinder recovery. On the basis of your complaints, medical history and physical examination, the treatment is tailored to your personal situation, and adjusted over the course of the treatment where necessary.

Depending on the cause of the complaints, acupuncture can during treatment, among other things, be aimed at:

For acute complaints, improvement is often seen relatively quickly. Chronic complaints usually take more time, especially when the shoulder has moved less well for a longer time.

What can Chinese herbal medicine do?

Chinese herbs are often used as a complement to acupuncture. Where acupuncture has a direct influence on pain and mobility during treatment, herbs can support the body daily in between treatments. The herbal formula is tailored to your personal situation and can be adjusted over the course of the treatment.

Depending on the cause of the complaints, Chinese herbs can, among other things, be aimed at:

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine complement each other and are therefore regularly combined.

How does Chinese medicine view shoulder pain?

In Western medicine the diagnosis is often central. Chinese medicine also looks at which bodily functions are functioning less well and how different complaints relate to one another. As a result, two people with the same shoulder complaints can nevertheless receive a different treatment.

For pain complaints, the meridians in particular play an important role. According to Chinese medicine these are channels along which Qi and Blood circulate through the body. Various meridians run through the shoulder, so the precise location of the pain can provide additional information about the underlying cause of the complaints.

When the flow in these meridians is disrupted, a recognisable combination of complaints arises. Such a combination is called a TCM pattern in Chinese medicine. Establishing this pattern helps to tailor the treatment to your individual situation. The patterns that occur most often with shoulder pain are:

Wind-Cold-Damp

This pattern usually arises acutely after the shoulder has been exposed to cold, draught or damp, or after a sudden overuse.

Common characteristics:

Qi stagnation

Prolonged stress and emotional tension can cause muscles to remain continuously tense, so that the shoulder relaxes less well.

Common characteristics:

Blood stasis

This pattern is often seen after an injury, a fall, an operation, or when the complaints have existed for a longer time.

Common characteristics:

Damp and Phlegm blocking the shoulder

When damp accumulates for a long time, this can restrict the mobility of the shoulder. This pattern is seen relatively often with long-standing shoulder complaints, including a frozen shoulder.

Common characteristics:

In practice these patterns regularly occur in combination. For example, an old sports injury (Blood stasis) can go together with prolonged muscle tension due to stress (Qi stagnation), or with Damp and Phlegm that slow recovery.

Prognosis

The prognosis depends on the cause of the complaints, how long the shoulder has been painful, and the extent to which movement is restricted.

Acute complaints due to an awkward movement or overuse often respond well to a combination of acupuncture, targeted exercises and temporary adjustment of the load. Early treatment can contribute to a faster recovery.

For chronic shoulder complaints a longer treatment period is usually needed, especially with long-standing restricted movement, tendon calcification, a frozen shoulder or old injuries.

Besides the treatments, active rehabilitation and exercise therapy often play an important role. Acupuncture can therefore be combined well with physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic or a targeted exercise programme.

Contact

Do you suffer from shoulder pain and would you like to know whether acupuncture can mean something for you? During a first consultation we discuss your complaints, medical history and any underlying factors in detail. On that basis a treatment plan is drawn up that suits your situation. You can book an appointment online right away or get in touch for more information.

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