Tracey-Ann Brown, Complementary & Oriental Medicine

Shoulder pain can affect simple, everyday tasks such as dressing, combing one's hair and even driving. Originating in the joint itself or the surrounding muscles, shoulder pain may be the result of injury or some chronic disease related to the chest or abdomen such as heart or gallbladder disease.

In some cases, the pain is focused in the shoulder joint, in others it may additionally radiate down the arm. Accompanying symptoms include: stiffness, tenderness, weakness, swelling and reduced range of motion.

Shoulder pain may arise as a result of a:

Bursitis: inflammation of the bursae (small fluid-filled pads that act as cushions between the tendons and the bones beneath them).

Rotator cuff injury: the rotator cuff comprises the muscles and tendons of the shoulder.

Tendonitis: inflammation or irritation of the tendon in the shoulder.

Additionally, shoulder pain may be the result of diseases such as:

Osteoarthritis: occurs when the cartilage protecting the ends of your bone wears down.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: chronic inflammation affecting the lining of the joints, which eventually causes bone erosion and joint deformity.

Ankylosing spondylitis: an inflammatory condition which causes some of the vertebrae in the spine to fuse together.

Shingles: infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox.

With chronic conditions, to assist in strengthening the joint these herbs are added:

Bai Shao (White Peony Root).

Sang Ji Sheng. (Loranthus/Mulberry Mistletoe Stems).

Shu Di Huang (Chinese foxglove root).

Dr Tracey-Ann Brown is an oriental medicine practitioner of acupuncture and herbal medicine at Revamp Comprehensive and adjunct lecturer at the University of Technology in oriental/ chinese medicine; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com