Shoulder periarthritis: Bring Back Movement into Frozen Muscle with Needles

The author applied Tung’s special acupuncture on traditional acupoints to treat shoulder periarthritis, and got a remarkable result.
The author applied Tung’s special acupuncture on traditional acupoints to treat shoulder periarthritis, and got a remarkable result.
The author applied Tung’s special acupuncture on traditional acupoints to treat shoulder periarthritis, and got a remarkable result.

The author applied Tung’s special acupuncture on traditional acupoints to treat shoulder periarthritis, and got a remarkable result. It is reported as follows.

Diagnostic criteria: Shoulder pain and impaired movement of shoulder joint became severe at night and mild in daytime, with inability to lie on the affected side; gradually-restricted movements of shoulder joint, including lifting up, abduction, extension, internal rotation and outward rotation; tenderness in the attachment point of biceps, long and short head tendons. There are no abnormalities in X-ray examination; calcified plaque of soft tissue will be seen at greater tuberosity of humerus later.

General data: All the observation cases were from the out-patient department of the hospital, including 22 men and 28 women in the age group of 40 to 72 years. All cases had severe pain, adhesion of shoulder joint and restricted movement. Treatment methods: Puncturing acupoints like Tiaokou (ST 38) toward Chengshan (Bl 57) and Yanglingquan (GB 34)—both in contralateral, Hegu (LI.4) affected side. In patients with natural drooping of two legs, after routine sterilisation, filiform needles 0.40 mm in diameter and 40-75 mm in length were selected.

The needling sensation of puncturing Tiaokou (ST 38) toward Chengshan (BL 57) should radiate from knee joint to ankle joint. Even reinforcing-reducing manipulations were used, and the operation at (GB 34) and puncturing (ST 38) toward (UB 57) were done alternately.  The patients were asked to move the affected shoulder joint while the needles were manipulated. The needles were manipulated once every three minutes, and retained for 15 minutes. The patients stopped moving the shoulder joint. The needling sensation of puncturing (LI.4) should reach area above elbow joint. The treatment was done once every day and five times making up one treatment course. The second course will be done for those with unsatisfactory effect. The therapeutic effect would be evaluated after two courses.

Cure: The shoulder pain disappeared, no restriction in activity of the shoulder joint
Marked effectiveness: No shoulder pain, the pain occasionally appeared when the weather changed, but no restriction in activity of shoulder joint.

Effectiveness: Pains in the shoulder joint were relieved, but worsened when weather changed. The activity of shoulder joint was restricted slightly.

Failure: Pains in the shoulder joint did not change markedly, and the function of shoulder joint was restricted.

Result: In 23 cases, patients were cured, 15 cases got marked effectiveness, seven cases got some effect, and five cases got no effect at all, and the total effective rate is 90 percent.

Discussion: Shoulder periarthritis or frozen shoulder is also called Lou JianFeng in traditional Chinese medicine. It includes chronic strain, injury and invasion of pathogenic wind and cold. The author holds that using multi-meridian points can unblock multi meridians, and get better effect.   

The author is Head of the Department of Acupuncture, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi. This treatment is now being made available in India

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