Shoulder impingement syndrome occurs when there is a narrowing in the shoulder’s subacromial or subcoracoid space. These areas are high-traffic regions involving the rotator cuff tendon, subscapularis tendon, coracobrachialis muscle, and the short head of the bicep. If the space is narrow, the muscles and tendons become inflamed as they rub against the bones.
Symptoms:
- Pain in the front or outer aspect of your shoulder
- Pain that is worse with lifting your arm and with overhead movements
- Pain that is worse in the night is indicative of a tendon issue.
Causes:
- Repetitive motion and shoulder impingement is often referred to as swimmer’s shoulder. Movements or activities involving overhead motions and the shoulder’s internal rotation may aggravate the tendons in the subacromial/subcoracoid space.
- Structural changes such as bone spurs and arthritis may contribute to inflammation in the joint
- Bursitis is an inflammatory condition of the fluid-filled sac between the tendon and acromion bone. This may be caused by repetitive motion and or injury.
How Acupuncture Helps Shoulder Impingement
- Release of Natural Painkillers — Acupuncture therapy stimulates the production of our natural painkillers, beta-endorphins. Beta endorphins modulate pain response and reduce inflammation. Reducing inflammation and pain is the first step in treating this condition.
- Increasing Blood Circulation — Increased blood circulation enables the body to repair damaged tissue and aids in healing.
- Activating Weak Muscles — In the case of shoulder impingement, the subscapularis often loses its ability to anchor the shoulder in the joint. This causes the top of the shoulder bone to move forward and upwards, narrowing joint space. Acupuncture, when applied to the motor point of the subscapularis, enables it to contract properly, enabling more efficacy with physical therapy exercises. Treating the mechanical aspects of shoulder impingement leads to lasting results and prevents flare-ups.
Acupuncture alone or combined with other therapies like physical therapy may significantly relieve shoulder impingement syndrome.
Schedule a consultation with our acupuncturist to determine if acupuncture can help you.
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