Skip to main content

Acupuncture for Frozen Shoulder

Adhesive capsulitis causes pain and reduced range of motion. Acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are first-line options. This study investigated the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of frozen shoulder (1). In a controlled clinical trial, patients with should pain and frozen shoulder received acupuncture and were analyzed 3 months after. The results showed that acupuncture achieved improved shoulder motion and greater improvement in visual analog scale after 3 months compared to the control group. The authors conclude that acupuncture improves flexion and adduction of the shoulder and pain.