Frozen shoulder, also known as “adhesive capsulitis”, is a condition of stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint leading to a limited range of motion in the joint. Most people will have frozen shoulder in one shoulder. This condition usually develops slowly over a period. The pain occurs with movement of shoulder and the range of motion begins to become limited. Slowly the pain reduces along with a drastic decrease in the variety of motion of the shoulder.
Frozen shoulder can occur after an injury, surgery or fracture to the shoulder joint. Frozen shoulder is more common over the age of 40. With frozen shoulder, the shoulder capsule (the connective tissue of shoulder joint) becomes inflamed and stiff, which in turn can cause adhesions to develop between the joint’s surfaces and a decrease in the blood supply and lubricating fluids in the joint, all of which leads to the pain and reduced mobility. At night the shoulder might hurt when sleeping on the painful side and there can be numbness or tingling in the arm and hand. With the limited use and mobility, strength also gets reduced in the surrounding muscles.
By large, general treatment available is pain management by using painkillers, muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatory drugs. To restore strength and mobility of the shoulder, Acupuncture or Ayurvedic Medicine may be recommended. Most of the time, recovering from Frozen Shoulder can be a slow process and can require number of sessions.
How acupuncture can help in frozen shoulder case: There are several meridians (energy pathways) running over the shoulder or close to the shoulder. When the qi-energy and blood flow in these meridians is obstructed, problems begin to arise. This obstruction can be the result of an underlying problem in one or more of the related organs. There can be a situations that one may have a constitutional weakness in their body due to genetic makeup or due to accumulated effects of lifestyle.
At AcuAyur Holistic Health Centre, Dr Kusum Lata an AHPRA Registered Acupuncturist & Ayurvedic Doctor investigates improper functioning and will treat the underlying organ problems to get the blood and energy flowing again in the meridians. By increasing circulation and blood flow to the shoulder, inflammation gets reduced. The process will relieve the symptoms of pain and increase mobility in the shoulder resulting in further healing.
The significant difference between Western medicine and Traditional Medicine (TCM & Ayureda) is that Western medicine will treat the shoulder mainly locally, while Traditional Medicine treats the organ-related problems together with the meridians, addressing internal factors that contribute to the health and healing of the shoulder area. By going to the core of the problem, relief through acupuncture and or Ayurvedic Medicine can be long lasting.
