Shoulder Pain

shoulder pain

    acupuncture for Shoulder pain in nyc

    Shoulder Pain Relief Acupuncture Clinic in New York, NY

    Reaching for something on a shelf, lifting a child, or putting on a shirt are just a couple of the many tasks that require use of our shoulders. If you’re experiencing shoulder pain, you’ve likely found that it has become a constant annoyance at minimum, or that it has caused big, unwanted changes to your daily life at worst. At Gotham Holistic Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine, we’ve helped many of our patients to reduce or eliminate shoulder pain, regain range of motion, and live a more pain-free life unencumbered by shoulder pain. Our treatments are drug-free, non-invasive, and holistic.

    Signs of Shoulder Pain

    Shoulder pain is a broad topic that includes a number of different conditions and presentations. The shoulder itself is made up of several joints and many muscles, ligaments, tendons, and nerves. Here are some of the shoulder conditions that we treat:

    Shoulder Arthritis. This pain is often worse with movement and gets progressively worse over time. Pain at night while trying to sleep is also a common feature of shoulder arthritis.

    Shoulder pain due to an injury. This could be a sports injury or an injury related to a job. In this case, there may be a history of overuse, but there is typically a specific moment during which injury occurred. If the injury was recent, the pain may be more severe and acute. Over time, if the injury does not heal completely there may be lingering chronic pain, or occasional flare-ups.

    Rotator cuff tears. Pain is often worse at night when lying on the affected shoulder or when using the arm away from the body, and crepitus or crackling sensation may be felt in certain positions. Tears are often partial and can be due to an injury or degradation of the tendon from overuse or aging. While complete tears may require surgery, many cases can be effectively treated with acupuncture by optimizing the shoulder holistically.

    Tendonitis in the shoulder. This typically affects the rotator cuff. Pain and swelling may be present at the front of the shoulder or side of the arm, and pain is often worse while raising or lowering the arm.

    Frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis. This condition is characterized by stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint, often making it impossible to raise the arm overhead. Initially, any movement of the arm is painful. As it becomes chronic, pain may diminish, but movement will become even more difficult.

    Shoulder pain due to postural stress.  This is the most common cause of shoulder pain that we see in our clinic. This often presents as nagging pain or tension in the shoulders, upper back, and neck. It is caused by poor posture, repetitive movements, or spending long periods of time in the same position. For example, someone who works on a laptop everyday is likely to suffer from postural tension because it’s nearly impossible to maintain a healthy posture while using a laptop. A delivery person might also suffer from postural tension due to repetitive lifting. In both cases there are typically tight muscles and sometimes also areas of weakness that need to be addressed in order to restore healthy posture and eliminate pain.

    Will Acupuncture Help Shoulder Pain?

    Acupuncture is a non-invasive, drug-free treatment that works with the body's natural ability to heal itself to achieve pain relief and restore movement and strength. It involves the insertion of thin, flexible, sterile needles into areas of pain as well as adjacent structures and distal acupoints for a holistic approach. Acupuncture is a great option for anyone trying to avoid surgery, corticosteroid shots, or painkillers, or for anyone that has not found relief with other treatments.

    Can Acupuncture Cure Frozen Shoulder?

    One of the conditions that acupuncture is commonly used to treat is frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis. Frozen shoulder is a condition that causes pain and stiffness in the shoulder joint, making it difficult or impossible to move the arm overhead. Initially, any movement of the arm is painful. As it becomes chronic, pain may diminish, but movement will become even more difficult. At Gotham Holistic we utilize a combination of electro-acupuncture, manual therapy and PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) that has shown great results in treating frozen shoulder.

    Shoulder Pain Relief at Gotham Holistic Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine

    At Gotham Holistic Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine, we take pride in providing thoughtful and effective acupuncture for your shoulder pain. We start with a consultation to go over your health history, current complaints, and health goals. An exam will also be performed if appropriate. If you are determined to be a good candidate for our acupuncture services, you’ll receive a customized treatment plan. Every treatment is custom tailored to each of our patients. We use a combination of time-tested Traditional Chinese Medicine with cutting-edge electro-acupuncture techniques for optimal results. We also go beyond your primary complaint to address underlying issues, such as stress or insomnia, that may be contributing to your primary concern. Get started with pain relief today by booking your appointment online to meet with our experienced acupuncturist.

    Studies on acupuncture for shoulder pain:

    1. Kleinhenz J, Streitberger K, Windeler J, Güssbacher A, Mavridis G, Martin E. Randomised clinical trial comparing the effects of acupuncture and a newly designed placebo needle in rotator cuff tendinitis. Pain. 1999 Nov;83(2):235-41. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3959(99)00107-4. PMID: 10534595.
    2. Kamali F, Sinaei E, Morovati M. Comparison of Upper Trapezius and Infraspinatus Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy by Dry Needling in Overhead Athletes With Unilateral Shoulder Impingement Syndrome. J Sport Rehabil. 2019 Mar 1;28(3):243-249. doi: 10.1123/jsr.2017-0207. Epub 2018 Nov 30. PMID: 29364040.
    3. Osborne NJ, Gatt IT. Management of shoulder injuries using dry needling in elite volleyball players. Acupunct Med. 2010 Mar;28(1):42-5. doi: 10.1136/aim.2009.001560. PMID: 20351377.
    4. Ben-Arie E, Kao PY, Lee YC, Ho WC, Chou LW, Liu HP. The Effectiveness of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Frozen Shoulder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2020 Sep 25;2020:9790470. doi: 10.1155/2020/9790470. PMID: 33062030; PMCID: PMC7532995.
    5. Sun KO, Chan KC, Lo SL, Fong DY. Acupuncture for frozen shoulder. Hong Kong Med J. 2001 Dec;7(4):381-91. PMID: 11773673.
    6. Lathia AT, Jung SM, Chen LX. Efficacy of acupuncture as a treatment for chronic shoulder pain. J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Jun;15(6):613-8. doi: 10.1089/acm.2008.0272. PMID: 19489707.

    For more information about acupuncture for shoulder pain, call us at (646) 255-1332 or book online now.

    WHY CHOOSE US?

    Cutting-Edge Acupuncture

    Licensed Acupuncturist

    Powerful Holistic Treatments

    Personalized Treatment Plans

    What our satisfied Patients have to say

    "I've been going to see Dr. Kristin for quite some time now due to back/neck issues I've been dealing with for years, and I must say - it really does work wonders! From my first consultation to every appointment in between, Dr. Kristin has been kind and always attentive to what aches and pains I have. She makes sure to target the areas that are hurting you, and constantly checks in on you / with you to make sure you are comfortable. I mean really, what more could you ask for?!"

    - Nicole D.

    "I've been going to Gotham Holistic and seeing Kristin Cheng, LAc for 3 years now, I highly recommend going to see her. She was highly attentive to me, my needs, and my comfort level. Quickly, I was put at ease by her attentive nature and able to be present when I did my first acupuncture consultation to the present day. I go here because Kristin Cheng is immensely skilled and so down to earth that I can digest her deep knowledge to make better health choices in my life."

    - Jovon O.

    "Kristin at Gotham Holistic is a wonderful professional who is focused on helping you manage pain and getting your body to work best for you.  She is personally invested in your health and well-being and committed to working with you to get your body to where you'd like it to be.  She is full of knowledge and looks to empower you to help your body heal. As a lifelong athlete I am so grateful I have found Kristin to help me work through injuries and keep my body in top shape to continue to train at a high level."

    - Lisa L.

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