Chiropractic and Frozen Shoulder

“Frozen Shoulders” Thaw With Acupuncture Treatment Vol. 14 Issue 26

It’s an ailment that most commonly affects those over forty years of age, and women more than men. It can start suddenly and without warning. One night you go to bed, and the next morning you can’t move your shoulder an inch without severe pain. It’s a very inconvenient ailment, as it is quite difficult to get around, dress and care for yourself without any shoulder movement at all.

Causes of frozen shoulder vary and could include fractures or torn tendons. For many people, the cause is mostly normal wear and tear, overuse and lack of use. The most common treatments start with rest, ice and pain relievers. Ultrasound may be used along with physical therapy that includes stretching and strengthening exercises.

But some doctors may choose to start out with an injection of corticosteroids right off the bat. Others may choose to wait and see if less invasive therapies work.

The danger is that if the frozen shoulder does not resolve using these methods, surgery is usually recommended.

In a completely different and drug-free approach, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners have been having great success treating frozen shoulders with Acupuncture.

In one report written by two practitioners, 50 patients were treated with Acupuncture and massage. Points on the affected shoulder, plus the hand and arm on the same side were treated – as many as 4 to 8 points at a time. In 48 out of the 50 cases, the condition resolved and the other 2 cases showed improvement.

Another report from Dr. Li Lingling described her work with 61 patients. Treatment of each patient alternated 5 different points of Acupuncture and again, massage was added for the muscles and Acupuncture points. After only 5 treatments, 58 of these cases showed improvement and 25 of them resolved completely.

With acupuncture, anyone who wakes up to a frozen shoulder has a safe, drug-free and surgery-free option to address the problem with a high likelihood of excellent results.

Source: Institute for Traditional Medicine, Treatment of Frozen Shoulder Using Chinese Medicine, May 2005, http://www.itmonline.org/arts/frozenshoulder.htm

Source: National Institutes of Health, What Are Shoulder Problems?, November 2006, http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Shoulder_Problems/shoulder_problems_ff.asp

Source: National Institutes of Health, Questions and Answers about Shoulder Problems, March 2006, http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Shoulder_Problems/default.asp

Dr. Keith Kausler, D.C and Dr. Todd Cunningham, D.C assess patients through clinical examination, laboratory testing, diagnostic imaging and other diagnostic interventions to determine when chiropractic treatment is appropriate or when it is not appropriate. In addition, Dr. Keith Kausler, D.C and Dr. Todd Cunningham will readily refer patients to the appropriate health care provider when chiropractic care is not suitable for the patient’s condition, or the condition warrants co-management in conjunction with other members of the health care team.

It’s essential to schedule regular Chiropractic checkups to detect, correct, and maintain optimum spinal and nervous system function. Find out how Chiropractic care, combined with proper diet, exercise, and other aspects of good health can enhance your well-being and help you enjoy life to the fullest.  Your Chiropractors have treated people with Automobile, work and sports injuries in Tustin, Santa Ana and Irvine for half a century and look forward to finding out how we can help you and your family injuries has worked in the Tustin, Irvine, and Santa Ana areas for 31 years as a Sports, Family, and Auto Accidents specialist.

Medicare Learns What Chiropractic Patients Already Know: Chiropractic is a Perfect "10"!
Vol. 14 Issue 27

In a stroke of brilliance that can lead to better healthcare and relief for millions, the Centers for Medicare and & Medicaid Services have just issued a report on a two-year long study of the results and costs of using Chiropractic care. They learned what chiropractors and Chiropractic patients have known for decades: Chiropractic gets results and is cost-effective.

In Maine, New Mexico, Iowa, Virginia and northern Illinois, Medicare coverage was expanded to include Chiropractic care and the results of the treatments were collected. Patients were asked to report on the results of treatment, costs and their satisfaction with care. The majority of the patients who reported gave their chiropractors a perfect “10”! Nearly nine out of ten patients rated their satisfaction with a score of 8 or higher.

Patients sought Chiropractic care mostly for pain in the back, neck, hip, shoulder, and for difficulty walking. Thirty-nine percent of these patients had already tried to get help from another type of health professional but did not get relief of their symptoms.

In contrast to what many patients experience when they try to see a medical doctor for their problems, Chiropractic patients were able to obtain an initial appointment for their current situations quickly, and nearly all patients reported that Chiropractors listened carefully and spent sufficient time with them.

But the best result is relief of the condition from which one is suffering. Sixty percent of the patients reported that they received either complete or “a lot of” relief from the problem that caused them to visit a chiropractor.

And what were the patients able to avoid by seeing a chiropractor? The study reports that patients avoided, “pain pills in 58 percent, pain injections in 30 percent, both pain pills and injections in 22 percent, and surgery in 12 percent... The high reported use of pain medications and surgery in treatments received from other types of healthcare professionals suggests the potential for achieving cost offsets [by using Chiropractic care].”

When an insurance company can save money while creating more satisfaction among the insured, it’s good news for patients as well because insurance companies are more likely to extend coverage to this type of treatment. In this study, while visits increased 60 percent, overall costs increased little or nothing in most of the areas reviewed. The only notable exception was the Chicago area.

This report provides the hope that as more and more insurance companies get the picture, we may see more and more coverage extended to Chiropractic care, meaning more people can avoid the dangers of drugs and surgery.

Source: Dynamic Chiropractic, Medicare Patients Give Chiropractic High Marks, March 26, 2010,  http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=54533