My treatment plan is to aggressively treat any trigger points in the shoulder area. It could be close to the actual shoulder, more towards the neck, is in area behind the arm and on the back where the arm connects to the body or perhaps even the chest area where the arm connects. It could also be down the arm a few inches from the shoulder. It is common that the problem in joints are actually muscles connected to the joints, but the tense area is 6 inches or more away from the pain.
In trigger point acupuncture, there is typically one or two muscles that are tight. Using my fingers I feel around looking for them and then insert an acupuncture needle into those spots. With probing, I typically get twitching, often strong twitching from the tight muscles. These muscles often twitch 6 inches or more away from the point where I am probing, often in either direction.
My plan it so give the entire complex a trigger point therapy by going beyond the one or two obvious muscles and probing less tense muscle groups hinting for twitching.
My hope is that the trigger point release of tight muscles will also release the pl;ling on the shoulder and significantly reduce the pain.
I’m not highly confident that we will succeed, but will give her shoulder the best I can in hopes of her avoiding surgery.