Anybody heard of "saline injections" for the treatment of really bad shoulder pain, or is acupuncture the

Question

only solution, tried the steroid injections but doctor won't give more as they tend to weaken the bones. Do you get such a thing as a shoulder replacement ? Not kidding my shoulders ache all day and worse in the morning. Fell down stairs caused it.

Answer 1

Saline injections are essentially a placebo treatment, though they may work by the counter irritant principal as well.  That is how capsaicin works

Acupuncture also "works" via activating the placebo mechanism.  The placebo mechanism has a sound biochemical and physiological basis that is supported by evidence.  The theory of acupuncture requires positing unseen/unproven energy flowing through unseen/unproven meridians and influenced through unseen/unproven chakras points.

Having got that out of the way it is important to have a diagnosis as to WHY your shoulder is hurting.  If it is a simple sprain then rest, time, ice and anti-inflammatories will help.  The same is true for tendinitis, but more time is needed.

If you have something more serious like a rotator cuff tear, then surgery may be needed though some people do well just with physiotherapy.

Your doctor was correct in not doing another cortisone shot...but it is the tendons and ligaments that may be weakened, not the bones.

Answer 2

http://www.steadyhealth.com/Taking_Salin...

verses

http://www.acupuncturespecialist.org/