by Dr. Elizabeth Langer, DC, LAc
Because of the pain and the fact that you cannot move, frozen shoulder can negatively impact your daily life. You might not notice it at first because it comes on so slowly. But its effects can last anywhere from one to four years and interferes with your ability to perform daily tasks like brushing your hair.
Conventional therapies are usually painful and slow to yield results. You need a treatment that can gently increase your mobility while decreasing your pain.
The WAY Wellness Center has a solution. Our team is excited to share the power of acupuncture for frozen shoulder in Pittsburgh.
What is Frozen Shoulder?
Adhesive capsulitis, or frozen shoulder, causes more than just shoulder pain and stiffness. When you have this condition, your pain is unbearable, and you might not be able to move your shoulder at all. Your shoulder essentially “freezes.” This process usually begins gradually, with pain and stiffness becoming worse with time. When you do try to move, you may experience a sharp pain, have a hard time grooming yourself, performing overhead activities, or reaching behind your back. You are more likely to experience frozen shoulder if you are a woman, are between 40-60 years old, or have diabetes or a thyroid disorder. If you have suffered local trauma, like a fracture, or have had your joint immobilized for long periods, or have suffered a stroke, you may be predisposed to developing adhesive capsulitis.
There are three stages to this process. The first is a gradual worsening in pain and stiffness and lasts between two to nine months. During the second stage, your pain may begin to improve, but your shoulder becomes “frozen.” This period can last between four to twelve months. The third stage, you pain reduces even more and you gradually regain your range of motion. Even though this usually resolves on its own, the final stage can last anywhere from six months to two years. A 2020 study by Ben-Arie et al. states that up to 15% of frozen shoulder patients will suffer from a long-term disability. We at the WAY Wellness Center, do not believe that you should have to wait that long before you can get back to your life. That is why we are so excited to offer acupuncture for frozen shoulder if you are in the Pittsburgh area.
Specific Benefits of Acupuncture
There are many treatments available for adhesive capsulitis. Common conservative treatments may include joint manipulation and mobilization, electrotherapy, and rehabilitation exercises and stretches. You may even be prescribed medication, hydrodilatation, manipulation under anesthesia, or even surgery. However, recovery still takes a long time and can still be a painful process.
Acupuncture is an especially effective treatment for frozen shoulder. Like many other modalities, acupuncture helps to relieve pain and release endorphins, your "feel good chemicals." It also helps to improve the circulation of blood and oxygen, which enhances healing and reduces inflammation.
Acupuncture can help to restore your range of motion by a process of relaxation. Whereas other modalities can be strenuous and painful, acupuncture is soothing and gently loosens your muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your shoulder. You experience a healing that penetrates deep into your joint, helping to “thaw” the adhesions and fibrosis.
Traditional Chinese medicine views conditions like frozen shoulder as an imbalance of energy (Qi) flow. Acupuncture aims to restore balance by stimulating specific points to correct energy flow, addressing both physical and energetic blockages.
At the WAY Wellness Center in Pittsburgh, our practitioners will often incorporate other modalities to enhance your acupuncture treatment for frozen shoulder. Some examples we may use include electroacupuncture, moxibustion, and even herbal medicine. It depends on your needs and comfort level.
Find Out How Acupuncture Can Help Your Frozen Shoulder Today
To get the best relief with any treatment, you need a team who is caring and creative in their approach. At the WAY Wellness Center, we want to see you enjoy your life again.
To learn more about how acupuncture for frozen shoulder in Pittsburgh, contact our office today to schedule an appointment. Our team will be happy to help you.
