Review of Warm-Needling Acupuncture Treatment for Frozen Shoulder
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Abstract
Introduction and Objectives: Frozen shoulder (FS) is a shoulder disorder commonly found in the general
population. It is manifested by chronic pain and reduced range of motion (ROM) of the shoulder. This condition is referred to as “Bi Zheng” in traditional Chinese medicine. Currently, there has been research on the clinical effectiveness of treating frozen shoulder with warm-needling acupuncture (WNA). The purposes of this study were to explore the effectiveness and to review treatment approaches for frozen shoulder with WNA.
Methods: This documentary research involved the literature review of clinical research papers on WNA
for treating frozen shoulder that had been published on the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) online database from January 2012 to December 2022. The keywords used were “warm-needling acupuncture” and “frozen shoulder”. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of clinical effectiveness on WNA for frozen shoulder were selected.
Results: Warm-needling acupuncture was effective in treating frozen shoulder, providing relief from the
pain, reducing inflammation, improving the quality of life for patients, and enhancing shoulder mobility. In addition, various acupuncture techniques and methods have been used and studied to compare their effectiveness in treating frozen shoulder, such as Jian San Zhen technique and simultaneous needling technique.
Discussion: Acupuncture points for treating frozen shoulder include those around shoulder joints and
arms, i.e. Jiayu (LI15), Quchi (LI11) and Hegu (LI4) located on large intestine meridian of hand Yangming,
Jianzhen (SI9) on small intestine meridian of hand Taiyang, Jianliao (TE14) and Waiguan (TE5) on meridian of hand Shaoyang Sanjiao, Jianqian (EX-UE12), an extra point on upper extremity, and trigger point. The treatment effectiveness was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Constant-Murley Score, Barthel Index, Pain Rating Index (PRI), Melle Score for Evaluation of Shoulder Joint, and Function Japanese Orthopedic Association Scores. Warm-needling acupuncture yielded significantly better overall outcomes than those in the control group
(P < 0.05).
Conclusion and Recommendation: Warm-needling acupuncture is effective in treating frozen shoulder. It can be implemented as a clinical approach for patient care.
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