Acupuncture Treatment after Shoulder Arthroscopy after Recurrent Dislocations

BACKGROUND: The shoulder has the greatest range of motion of the entire joint in the body. Therefore it accounts for almost 50% of all joint dislocations. Most commonly, the dislocation is anterior and may occur because of trauma. Symptoms are intense pain, inability to move, numbness of the arm, weakness, swelling and visibly out of place shoulder. This condition requires emergency medical assistance to relocate the shoulder and do X = ray and MRI scans. CASE REPORT: The treated patient is a 20-year-old girl who has undergone shoulder arthroscopy after recurrent dislocations. 2 years after the surgery, another trauma happened, and the shoulder was dislocated again along with a broken piece of the bone. The patient decided instead of open surgery to do acupuncture treatment. 10 treatments were done, 3 with fire needle and 7 with normal needle acupuncture in 5 months. The patient was also taking Glucosamine and Calcitriol and was advised to rest the arm, not to bore it, not to lift weight and not to make sudden movements. Less than a year, the results are amazing, there’s no pain in the shoulder, the movement is unlimited and eased. The MRI image is with normal findings with a little piece of 3 mm still to heal on the broken part. CONCLUSION: For such a serious condition as shoulder dislocation, acupuncture gave amazing and very satisfying results, with no need of open surgery.