Over the past 12 months at Bournemouth Acupuncture (BA), we have seen the number of patients needing treatment for shoulder pain increase.
Shoulder pain can be a difficult condition to deal with when it comes to activities involved with daily living. Using a seat-belt, putting on clothes, any overhead motion and restrictions on exercise are among the many problems associated with shoulder pain.
What can cause Shoulder Pain?
As one of only two ball and socket joints in the human body (the other being the hip), the shoulder can be susceptible to injury due to its need to provide mobility and the complex nature of the joint itself.
Some shoulder injuries & conditions treated at Bournemouth Acupuncture include:
- Frozen shoulder
- Bicep tendonitis
- Osteoarthritis,
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Bursitis
- Cervical radiculopathy
- Ihoracic outlet syndrome
- Impingement syndromes
Many of these conditions are the direct result of inflammation of soft tissue surrounding the shoulder joint: the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Frozen shoulder occurs when a reduction in mobility due to pain causes the shoulder to freeze.
Conventional Shoulder Pain Treatments
Unfortunately there are limitations with today’s traditional methods of treatment:
- NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) – Should only be taken for around ten days, as they can cause stomach problems, including ulcers & bleeding.
- Ice/heat & rest – This type of treatment will only provide temporary relief.
- Cortisone injections – Can provide quick relief but repeated injections to the affected area may affect ligaments, tendons and cartilage.
Acupuncture Treatment for Shoulder Pain
Acupuncture triumphs at treating the deep-rooted, nagging type shoulder conditions, that don’t respond well to conventional treatment.
Acupuncture needles do not need to be used on an already injured area, unlike cortisone injections. Distal style treatments achieve results without causing additional pain or discomfort.
So how does Acupuncture fare against conventional orthopedic treatments? In a 2014 study the acupuncture group achieved better results. After three months, the acupuncture group had a recovery rate of 65% vs. 37% for the conventional orthopedic group.
If you are looking for alternative shoulder pain treatment in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole, then Bournemouth Acupuncture can help.