Acupuncture for Shoulder Impingement
Pinching pain overhead is often a mechanics problem before it's a tissue problem.
Shoulder impingement causes a pinching or catching pain with overhead motion, often around the front or side of the shoulder, and is frequently mistaken for a rotator cuff tear. It tends to worsen with reaching overhead, reaching behind the back, or sleeping on the affected side.
Why It Happens
Impingement occurs when the space between the upper arm bone and the shoulder blade narrows, pinching the tendons or bursa that pass through it. This is usually driven by poor scapular control, rounded shoulder posture, or tightness through the chest and upper back rather than a single injury.
How We Treat It
We use acupuncture and dry needling around the shoulder and scapular stabilizers to reduce irritation and improve muscle activation, then treat the full kinetic chain — the neck, thoracic spine, and the fascial planes through the chest and upper back — to correct the postural and scapular patterns narrowing the space and causing the pinch.
Alongside the structural work, we assess for underlying imbalances — in circulation, inflammation, nervous system regulation, and recovery capacity — that may be slowing the healing response or making the tissue more vulnerable to injury in the first place.
What to Expect
Many patients notice reduced pain within 4–6 visits as irritation calms, with full resolution of the underlying mechanics typically taking 6–10 weeks of weekly care.
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