Acupuncture Treatment of Shoulder Pain

Musculo-Skeletal

Chief Complaint: Shoulder pain and reduced ROM

Western Diagnosis: Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Shoulder pain

Medical History: 69 yr old lady, sedentary, average American diet, slightly obese, mentally and socially well adapted. On Beta blocker, lasix, glucophage, and human insulin.

Questioning exam: Patient reported that she’d like to be off all her medications and would like to be able to used her shoulders which had gradually deteriorated over a period of 1 year.

Pulse exam: Crepitis in shoulders with very restricted active ROM, and pain elicited on passive ROM study. Pulse Wide, slippery, firm and forceful.

Tongue exam: Swollen, especially perimeter.

OM Diagnosis: Bi syndrome(fixed), with overall excess condition. Damp. According to classical diagnosis through Color, Sound Odor and Emotion, Spleen is indicated.

Treatment Principle: To move qi, to move spleen qi and clear damp.

Point Prescription: All the following points were used, not all at the same treatment

LI 15 Disperse

SJ 14 Disperse

St 14 Disperse

St 38 Disperse

St 41 Disperse

Sp 3 Disperse

Sp 8 Disperse

Sp 9 Disperse

Treatment began twice weekly for about 2 months, followed by once a week for 2 months. She currently has treatment every 3 weeks.

Herbal Formula: None given

Lifestyle Prescription: Walking around the block, especially when blood sugar is high. Swimming.

Eat a diet guided by the glycemic index.

Results: After 6 weeks of treatment this patient had no pain in shoulders with full range of motion. After 8 weeks she had no need of the glucophage, insulin and lasix. She has stable blood sugar levels 80-110. She has much more energy, a much greater sense of well being. She no longer has edema. She has lost 20 lbs. These improvements persist after 35 treatments in eight months. Her blood pressure is still elevated whenever she reduces her beta blocker.

Synopsis: Not only did this patient respond very well to acupuncture, she has been an ideal patient in following our recommendations to the letter. In her case an in many, not only did the main complaint resolve, her general health is much improved, with some progress still to be made, but her well being and mental alertness has been substantially benefited by the combination of treatment and changes she has made in her lifestyle.

Last modified: September 8, 2009  Tags: ,  В·  Posted in: Musculo-Skeletal