Neck & Shoulder, Arm & Wrist Pain

Acupuncture for Neck & Shoulder, Arm & Wrist Pain

Acupuncture for Neck & Shoulder, Arm & Wrist Pain

Many people nowadays experience neck and shoulder problems as a result of long-term stress, poor posture and repetitive muscle strain. Stiffness and pain is often caused by injury and inflammation as well as degeneration or compression of structures within the neck and shoulder. Shoulder and upper-back pain can also be referred from pinched nerves in the neck, and internal organs such as the liver, gallbladder, diaphragm or heart.

A variety of symptoms can affect the arm, elbow and hand such as pain, swelling, cramps, numbness, tingling, weakness and changes in temperature or colour. Common causes include injuries, repetitive wear and tear, compressed nerves and vessels, as well as problems originating in the neck or shoulder.

What Does The Research Say?

The following insights are obtained from systematic reviews and analysis of clinical trials investigating the efficacy of Acupuncture for Neck & Shoulder, Arm & Wrist Pain.

Scientific References

Browse our collection of scientific clinical research on Acupuncture for Neck & Shoulder, Arm & Wrist Pain. It includes recent and reputable papers published by peer-reviewed journals within the last 10 years.

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

2020, Sep 25

The Effectiveness of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Frozen Shoulder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

In this systematic review and a meta-analysis, acupuncture had shown to be a safe treatment with a significant effect in regard to reducing pain, improving shoulder function, and flexion ROM in the short term and midterm.

Eyal Ben-Arie, Pei-Yu Kao, Yu-Chen Lee, Wen-Chao Ho, Li-Wei Chou, Hsin-Ping Liu, Full Article

Pain Research & Management

2020, Mar 21

Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Lateral Epicondylitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Pain Research & Management

The systematic review and meta analysis of randomized controlled trials showed that acupuncture therapy is more effective than drugs and blocking therapy in improving the clinical efficacy rate.

Yumei Zhou, Yuebao Guo, Rui Zhou, Ping Wu, Fanrong Liang, Zhuoxin Yang Full Article

Clinical Rehabilitation

2019, Sep 26

Acupuncture and related interventions for carpal tunnel syndrome: systematic review
Clinical Rehabilitation

The study showcase that acupuncture patients found symptom relief and function improvement. Manual acupuncture was also found to be better than ibuprofen for long term relief.

Wu IX, Lam VC, Ho RS, et al. Full Article

Journal of Acupuncture Research

2018, Nov 8

A Systematic Review of Acupuncture for Tennis Elbow
Journal of Acupuncture Research Korean Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine Society

The systematic review showcased that acupuncture is effective for tennis elbow. The study was evaluated against NSAIDs with the intervention group showing a statistically significant effect. Patients reported to have an overall pain reduction after treatment.

Ji Hye Oh, Yun Kyu Lee, Jae Soo Kim, Hyun Jong Lee, Sung Chul Lim Full Article

Physiotherapy

2017, Dec 1

Effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of shoulder pain: a systematic review of published randomised clinical trials
Physiotherapy

This study showed that acupuncture is more effective for shoulder pain than physiotherapy. It also indicated that acupuncture combined with physiotherapy or exercise was found to be more effective for frozen shoulder than physiotherapy or exercise alone in the short and long term.

A. Rubio M. Mansfield J. Lewis Full Article

Pain Medicine

2017, Mar 20

Immediate Pain Relief in Adhesive Capsulitis by Acupuncture-A Randomized Controlled Double-Blinded Study
Pain Medicine American Academy of Pain Medicine

The efficiency of distal needling acupuncture on immediate pain reduction was demonstrated in patients with AC and confirmed the applicability of press tack needles and press tack placebos for double-blind studies in acupuncture.

Schröder S, Meyer-Hamme G, Friedemann T, Kirch S, Hauck M, Plaetke R, Friedrichs S, Gulati A, Briem D. Full Article

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

2016, Oct 17

Acupuncture for neck disorders
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Cochrane

This study suggests that acupuncture relieves neck pain. Acupuncture is beneficial at immediate-term follow-up to reduce pain-intensity.

Trinh K, Graham N, Irnich D, Cameron ID, Forget M. Full Article

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

2015, Dec 30

Acupuncture for Lateral Epicondylitis: A Systematic Review
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

In this systematic review, we included a total of four randomized controlled trials with 309 participants suffering from lateral epicondylitis. The studies showed that acupuncture significantly improves elbow functional disabilities and myodynamic. Patients also reported to have increased strength and functional status of arms.

Hongzhi Tang, Huaying Fan, Jiao Chen, Mingxiao Yang, Xuebing Yi, Guogang Dai, Junrong Chen, Liugang Tang, Haibo Rong, Junhua Wu, Fanrong Liang, Full Article

Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies

2015, Oct

Efficacies of Acupuncture and Anti-inflammatory Treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies Medical Association of Pharmacopuncture Institute

The findings indicated that acupuncture significantly improved wrist pain. Patients reported to have a decreased in numbness, better quality sleep and increased in wrist mobility. There is also an overall decreased with intake of painkillers and non-steroidoidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Hadianfard M, Bazrafshan E, Momeninejad H, Jahani N. Full Article

Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies

2014, Jun

Efficacy of Acupuncture versus Local Methylprednisolone Acetate Injection in De Quervain's Tenosynovitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies Medical Association of Pharmacopuncture Institute

The present trial shows that acupuncture can be considered as an effective, well tolerated, and safe alternative option in the treatment of patients suffering from De Quervain's tenosynovitis.

Mohammadjavad Hadianfard, Alireza Ashraf, Maryamsadat Fakheri, Aref Nasiri. Full Article

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies

2014, Apr 12

Acupuncture and moxibustion for lateral elbow pain: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies

This systematic review showcase that acupuncture shows significantly results with lateral elbow pain. The treatment reduced frequency of local anesthetic injection, local steroid injection and non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs. Overall, patients reported to have improved quality of life after receiving treatments.

Gadau M, Yeung WF, Liu H, Zaslawski C, Tan YS, Wang FC, et al Full Article

The Journal of Pain

2010, Nov 22

Acupuncture for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
The Journal of Pain American Pain Society

The systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrate that acupuncture as a symptomatic therapy for carpel tunnel. In the long run, the patients responded better with acupuncture than steroid block therapy.

Lee, H., Shim, H., Shin, B., Jung, A., Lee, M., & Ernst, E. Full Article

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