Acupuncture for Neck and Shoulder Pain in London
It’s thought that a quarter of the adult population – nearly 10 million people – suffer with some form of acute musculoskeletal pain during their lifetime. But acupuncture could provide long term relief, especially if you suffer with neck and shoulder pain.
Often, neck and shoulder pain are temporary and have an obvious cause, but for many people the discomfort is chronic and acute and can lead to further physical and emotional issues.
A number of studies, not least by the World Health Organisation (WHO) have shown acupuncture to be very effective in providing relief from neck and shoulder pain, and as part of an integrative approach to your clinical pain management our acupuncture for neck and shoulder pain in London can support you in becoming free from pain.
Acupuncture for neck pain in London
Most of us have experienced a stiff neck or neck pain at some point in our lives. Common causes of neck pain include poor posture, sleeping in an awkward position, extended computer use, extended lifting or carrying of heavy items, or periods of high stress or anxiety that cause physical tension.
In the majority of cases, these episodes tend to be temporary (although acupuncture can be highly effective in dealing with short-term pain, too), but in some cases there is a more entrenched cause for the neck pain you’re experiencing.
These may include conditions such as:
- Acute torticollis (also known as wryneck), which leaves the neck twisted, tilted, or locked, and is often related to injury to the neck muscles
- Cervical spondylosis and other types of arthritis that can cause radiating pain as well as pins and needles or numbness in the limbs and extremities
- Whiplash, which typically occurs following an impact event, such as a car accident, and can cause both neck pain and acute headaches
- Cervical radiculopathy, or a pinched nerve, which is more common in older people and is caused by a vertebrae disc bulging outwards and touching a nearby nerve
Acupuncture for neck pain can help to relieve the effects of these conditions, and others that cause or trigger discomfort in the neck through rebalancing the body’s natural healing energy.
Many patients use acupuncture in tandem with clinical pain management and other complementary therapies, such as massage.
Acupuncture for shoulder pain in London
Like neck pain, shoulder pain is a common problem for many people and can also be caused by a variety of similar issues around posture, anxiety- and stress-related tension, and lifting and carrying.
Other causes include:
- Frozen shoulder, which limits the full movement of the shoulder and can be extremely painful
- Issues relating to the group of muscles known as the rotator cuff that surround and stabilise the shoulder joint
- Hypermobility, where the shoulder has an abnormal range of movement
- Arthritis
- Historical arm injuries, such as breaks, fractures or dislocations
- Referred pain, which relates to pain caused by a musculoskeletal issue in another part of the body
How does acupuncture for neck and shoulder pain work
Our acupuncture therapy in London is performed by painlessly inserting superfine needles under the skin at strategic locations of the body to stimulate and rebalance the natural inner energy we all have, known as qi.
This in turn helps to restore the body’s natural healing processes through improved immune efficiency, and more effective production of natural hormones and chemicals that reduce inflammation and reduce pain.
As a holistic treatment, the additional benefit of acupuncture is that it can also address any unknown or unexplained issues that may be having a negative effect on your general health.
Who can benefit from acupuncture for neck and shoulder pain?
Anyone who is experiencing musculoskeletal pain to the neck or shoulder (or anywhere else, in fact) can benefit from acupuncture sessions.
If you are currently receiving clinical care to resolve or manage your neck or shoulder pain, you should talk to your GP or consultant about the benefits of an integrative approach to your treatment, in which acupuncture and other complementary therapies may be able to support your journey back to full health.
If you’d like to know more about how acupuncture can help to relieve your neck and shoulder pain or would like to find out more about this ancient Chinese therapy, please get in touch for an informal and confidential chat.
Book a consultation with one of our experienced and fully qualified acupuncturists in London. The Acupuncturists clinic is based in Harley Street, London.