Periarthritis of shoulder, fully known as scapulohumeral periarthritis, is a chronic aseptic inflammation of the joint capsule and periarticular soft tissues. It arises from injury and degeneration of soft tissues around the shoulder joint, including muscles, ligaments, tendons, bursae and articular capsules. It is a common disorder characterized mainly by shoulder pain and limited joint movement.
The condition mostly affects people over 40 years old. The incidence is slightly higher in females than males, and manual workers are more susceptible. Since it commonly occurs around the age of 50, it is also widely called frozen shoulder or fifty-shoulder.
In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), it is named leaky shoulder wind or frozen shoulder.
From the TCM perspective, the internal cause lies in deficiency of nutrient and defensive qi as well as degeneration of tendons and bones. Externally, wind, cold and damp pathogens invade the body, impairing the meridians and tendons around the shoulder and leading to stagnation of qi and blood, which causes pain. Overstrain may also result in blood stasis and qi stagnation, triggering pain due to blocked circulation. If shoulder pain persists for a long time, the tendons and vessels will fail to be nourished, manifesting as shoulder muscle atrophy and joint stiffness.
Stimulation Areas
Local AshI stimulation area.
- Wind-cold-damp obstruction: Add lateral nuchal lines and upper thoracic segment of dorsal line 1.
- Blood stasis obstructing collaterals: Add Dazhui (GV14), Ashi points and Quchi (LI11).
- Blood deficiency with cold coagulation: Add foot yin line and lower abdominal stimulation area.
- For obvious tenderness of deltoid muscle and limited shoulder abduction: Add upper limb segment of hand yangming muscle tendon, upper limb segment of hand shaoyang muscle tendon and foot shaoyang line.
- For severe posterior shoulder pain and limited shoulder adduction: Add upper limb segment of hand taiyang muscle tendon and bladder meridian line.
Needle Selection
Round-sharp needles, cluster needles, three-edged needles.
Operating Procedures
Apply flying needle therapy with round-sharp needles to lateral nuchal lines, foot yin line, dorsal line 1, foot shaoyang line and bladder meridian line.
Apply flying needle therapy with cluster needles to hand yangming muscle tendon, hand shaoyang muscle tendon, hand taiyang muscle tendon, local Ashi stimulation area and lower abdominal stimulation area.
Select 1 to 2 points among Dazhui (GV14), Ashi points and Quchi (LI11) for pricking blood therapy with three-edged needles.