Compared to other joints, the muscles that support the shoulder are fairly thin and stretched. Therefore, they are much more susceptible to tearing and dislocation.
Shoulder pain is usually caused by the repetition of movements with strain and stress.
The term, ‘frozen shoulder’ is used when there is pain and a limitation of movement in the shoulder due to inflammation. Western medicine maintains that ‘frozen shoulder’ is due to the inflammation of synovial tissue or the thickening of synovial fluid.
In traditional Chinese medicine, this condition is explained as an exposure to wind or cold, or, more mechanically speaking, to damage to the meridians or tendons which obstruct the smooth flow of energy (Qi) and blood to the shoulder. For shoulder pain, massage and acupuncture are used in traditional Chinese medicine because of their ability to lower the pain level, the inflammation level, and increase the flow of Qi and blood to the area affected.
Research studies have shown that patients with shoulder pain who use acupuncture have reduced pain and a low rate of recurrence.
For more information, you can check out this web-site which gives a short synopsis of many different research studies involving acupuncture: www.internethealthlibrary.com
