From Dr. Natalie Meiri’s clinical pearl story about Chiropractor West Palm Beach: Relief from Shoulder and Thumb Pain With Acupuncture
This is my clinical pearl story about Chiropractor West Palm Beach: Relief from Shoulder and Thumb Pain With Acupuncture. She was a 63 year old female patient. Her chief complaints were right shoulder and bilateral (right and left) thumb pain. To be HIPAA compliant, I will call her Elisha instead of her real name.
Elisha’s right shoulder pain had come on a year ago. She had injured her shoulder in Pilates class. However, the right thumb pain was a chronic “10 year old” problem. After an examination and imaging, her orthopedist had sent her to physical therapy. Nevertheless, it continued to hurt, so she came to see me.
Elisha was also an avid gardener. Additionally, she had a lot of hobbies around the house. She attributed her thumbs hurting from the repetitive use in her various activities.
Elisha’s Examination at Meiri Chiropractic
Upon examination, Elisha tested positive for her right shoulder condition. Her x-rays taken at the orthopedist showed degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) in her right shoulder and both thumbs. Elisha’s diagnosis was right shoulder rotator cuff sprain/strain and osteoarthritis in her thumbs.
What is a rotator cuff sprain and strain?
Firstly, the rotator cuff is a group of muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis) that hold the shoulder joint in place and allow you to move your shoulder.
Secondly, a sprain is a sudden or violent twisting injury of a joint with stretching or tearing of ligaments. Symptoms can be joint swelling, bruising, and instability.
Thirdly, a strain occurs when a muscle is overstretched or torn. This usually occurs as a result of fatigue, overuse, or improper use. Furthermore, damage to your attached tendons can also occur with a strain. Symptoms include muscle pain, spasms, weakness, and cramping.
Fourthly, both a strain and/or sprain can cause pain, tenderness, and limited motion in the affected area.
Elisha’s Acupuncture Treatments at Meiri Chiropractic
Elisha initially treated with chiropractic care for her right shoulder complaint. Indeed, her right shoulder and thumb pain did decrease with chiropractic care. Moreover, the function in both her shoulder and thumbs did improve. Next, she did a course of acupuncture to complete her healing.
Her acupuncture treatments consisted of the insertion of very thin metal needles. These were inserted into the skin and underlying tissues. Finally, Elisha reported that she was pain free! And she was back at Pilates and returned to her favorite hobbies again.
How Does Acupuncture Help Rotator Cuff Injury and Thumb Pain?
Neuroscientists at Harvard Medical School looked at the underlying neuroanatomy of acupuncture. Specifically, that acupuncture activates a nerve signaling pathway. The signaling affects the function of other parts of the body, including organs (and neuromusculoskeletal body parts).
Acupuncture has been used for over 4000 years to treat pain and other health problems safely and effectively. The acupuncture treatment stimulates the imbalanced pathways called meridians. This activates the body’s natural healing abilities. Ultimately, this brings balance back to your body. Indeed, Acupuncture has a beneficial effect when treating many diseases and painful conditions.
Meiri Chiropractic offers acupuncture for shoulder, thumb pain and many other ailments. Dr. Natalie Meiri is a chiropractic physician, board certified in acupuncture with over 20 years of experience. Call today for your acupuncture treatment for shoulder pain and thumb pain at 561-253-8984.
