Shoulder pain

Any pain in the shoulder. The shoulder is a convergence point of the three yáng channels of the hand and is close to the lung. Shoulder pain if not due to injury or taxation (best treated by manipulation and acupuncture), is usually caused by wind-damp. Distinction is made between pain on the anterior and posterior aspects. Pain in the anterior aspect is usually caused by wind-heat in the lung, whereas pain in the posterior aspect, which is often associated with back pain (see shoulder and back pain), is usually caused by wind-damp.

Medicinal therapy: For wind-heat in the lung causing pain in the anterior aspect, dispel wind and clear heat with Major Saposhnikovia Decoction (大防风汤 dà fáng fēng tāng) and variations. For pain in the posterior aspect due to wind-damp, dispel wind and transform dampness using Notopterygium Dampness-Overcoming Decoction (羌活胜湿汤 qiāng huó shèng shī tāng).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on LI, TB, and SI. Main points: LI-15 (Shoulder Bone, 肩髃 jiān yú), TB-14 (Shoulder Bone-Hole, 肩髎 jiān liáo), Shoulder Front (jiān qián), SI-11 (Celestial Gathering, 天宗 tiān zōng), LI-16 (Great Bone, 巨骨 jù gǔ), GB-20 (Wind Pool, 风池 fēng chí), TB-5 (Outer Pass, 外关 wài guān), and LU-9 (Great Abyss, 太渊 tài yuān). Needle with drainage.

Point selection according to pattern:

• For wind-heat, add LU-7 (Broken Sequence, 列缺 liè quē), LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), and LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí).
• For wind-damp, add LU-5 (Cubit Marsh, 尺泽 chǐ zé), TB-4 (Yáng Pool, 阳池 yáng chí), SP-9 (Yīn Mound Spring, 阴陵泉 yīn líng quán), and ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ). If necessary add moxa.

Point selection according to affected channel:

• For pain on the yáng brightness (yáng míng) or lesser yáng (shào yáng) channels, add ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ) and GB-34 (Yáng Mound Spring, 阳陵泉 yáng líng quán).
• For pain on the greater yáng (tài yáng) channel, add SI-3 (Back Ravine, 后溪 hòu xī) and ST-38 (Ribbon Opening, 条口 tiáo kǒu) joined to BL-57 (Mountain Support, 承山 chéng shān).

Point selection according to signs:

• For pain in the shoulder and arm, add LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí) and GB-21 (Shoulder Well, 肩井 jiān jǐng). For inability to lift the shoulder, add ST-38 (Ribbon Opening, 条口 tiáo kǒu) joined to BL-57 (Mountain Support, 承山 chéng shān). For inability to adduct the arm, add SI-10 (Upper Arm Transport, 臑俞 nào shù) and SI-9 (True Shoulder, 肩贞 jiān zhēn). For inability to rotate the shoulder and stretch out the arm, add SI-3 (Back Ravine, 后溪 hòu xī) and SI-6 (Nursing the Aged, 养老 yǎng lǎo).

See also leaky shoulder wind.