The effectiveness of Cupping Therapy in the Treatment of Shoulder Pain

We don’t think much about our shoulders until we experience sudden pain in one of them. Shoulder pain is an annoying one that can turn even a simple task like grabbing something overhead, drying your hair, rubbing your back, and more into a monumental one.

As we grow older, we’re more likely to experience shoulder pain from a range of common conditions. Right and left shoulder pain can occur gradually or abruptly and may range from mild to severe.

What are its causes?

If you are suffering from shoulder pain, it’s not always possible to figure out the cause. This pain can have many different causes, be it a muscle tear, osteoarthritis, tendonitis, disc herniations, SLAP tears, shoulder dislocation, and many more. Sometimes, the problems in other parts of the body can also be the source of right and left shoulder pain. Further, it isn’t easy to find the difference between its types, such as rotator cuff tendonitis, shoulder blade pain, calcific tendonitis, biceps tendon, rotator cuff impingement, or frozen shoulder. All these problems can’t be cured by taking anti-inflammatory drugs or performing mild stretches. This is why we need to get immediate medical attention and get the treatment that is tailored to our overall health, cause, and level of activity.

The shoulder is a ball and socket joint made of 3 bones:

  • Humerus (Upper arm bone)
  • Scapular (Shoulder blade)
  • Clavicle (collarbone)

The head of the upper arm is shaped like a ball and fits into a shallow socket in your shoulder blade (scapula). Strong ligaments keep the ball centered, and your rotator cuff muscles lift and rotate your arm. A problem with any part of this joint architecture can cause shoulder pain, instability, or weakness in the shoulder.

Below are few common conditions you may encounter, and some tips in addressing them

Rotator cuff problem:

Your rotator cuff is a group of tendons and muscles that help move your shoulder. There are 2 main types of problems.

Rotator cuff tendonitis: Inflammation, compression, or irritation of the tendons in the shoulder can lead to rotator cuff tendonitis.

Rotator cuff tear: The tendons of the rotator cuff become damaged at their bone insertion, thus producing pain.

Both rotator cuff tendonitis and tear can cause pain, especially with activities like falling, throwing, and tripping.

Calcific tendonitis:

When calcium crystals are deposited within a tendon, it causes calcific tendonitis. This condition typically causes shoulder pain that becomes worse by doing overhead motions. While some people develop a chronic case, in most cases, the symptoms resolve on their own.

Frozen shoulder:

Also called adhesive capsulitis, a frozen shoulder is a condition that leads to constant pain and joint stiffness. Many shoulder conditions including rotator cuff problems, minor injuries, etc are associated with this problem so its actual cause is unknown. Frozen shoulder can cause a reduction in both active and passive range of motion of the shoulder joint and arm. Also, it creates a massive impact on an individual’s daily activities. Frozen shoulder pain can be relieved temporarily by using medications or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory.

Osteoarthritis:

Osteoarthritis affects the shoulders less often than the hip and the knee. It is a condition developed when cartilage reduces between the bones in the shoulder, causing severe shoulder pain, along with stiffness. Sometimes, this problem is caused by an injury to the neck, shoulder, or arm.

How does Cupping Therapy work?

If you are looking for a drug-free solution for your shoulder pain, cupping therapy can be an excellent choice. It can play an important role in increasing the range of motion in the shoulder joint and treating frozen shoulder pain. The specialized cups pull up the muscle, skin, and fascia and help in stretching the tissue and drawing fresh blood into the area, thus providing rich nutrients to aid healing shoulder pain. Additionally, cupping therapy provides huge benefits including:

  • Stretch and relax the muscles,
  • Stimulate the body’s immune system to cure damaged tissue,
  • Break up the micro-adhesions within the fascia and muscle fibers to enhance the range of the shoulder and many.

If you would like to try cupping therapy for your frozen shoulder, give us a call today!

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