Dry Needling and Acupuncture for Rotator Cuff and Shoulder Pain
As both a clinician and someone who has personally suffered through two rotator cuff tears, I’ve seen firsthand how difficult recovery can be. I’ve also seen how dry needling, electro-acupuncture, and physical therapy can dramatically change the healing process.
Shoulder pain is one of the most common reasons adults seek medical care. Among all causes, rotator cuff injuries stand out as a major culprit. They can happen suddenly—while lifting weights or playing tennis—or develop gradually with age or overuse at work. Whatever the cause, rotator cuff pain is disruptive, stubborn, and frustrating.
The worst part? It steals your sleep. Patients with rotator cuff tears often say nighttime pain is unbearable. Even simple movements—rolling over in bed, reaching for a glass, or putting on a jacket—can feel impossible. I personally built a whole pillow puzzle designed to keep me out of pain at night with admittedly not terrible results. Feel free to shoot me email and I’ll walk you through it.
In this post, I’ll explain what rotator cuff injuries are, why they’re so difficult to heal, and how acupuncture and dry needling offer a safe, effective, and non-surgical path to recovery.
What Is the Rotator Cuff?
The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and their tendons that stabilize the shoulder joint:
Supraspinatus (most commonly injured, and the one I injured first)
Infraspinatus
Teres minor
Subscapularis (less common, and the one I injured later on)
These tendons keep the ball of the upper arm bone (humerus) centered in the socket while you move your arm.
When one of these tendons is inflamed, partially torn, or fully torn, shoulder movement becomes painful and weak.
Symptoms of a Rotator Cuff Injury
Rotator cuff injuries can range from tendonitis to partial tears to full-thickness ruptures. Common symptoms include:
Sharp pain when lifting or reaching overhead
Night pain that disrupts sleep (a hallmark sign)
Weakness in the arm or inability to lift objects
Clicking, catching, or grinding sensations
Stiffness and reduced range of motion
Notably, research shows many older adults have partial tears visible on MRI but no symptoms at all - up to two thirds of people 80 and older, that always feels a little crazy to me, but it’s true. This tells us pain is not only about the size of the tear—it’s about how the muscles, nerves, and inflammation are behaving.
My Story: Two Rotator Cuff Tears, Two Recoveries
I’ve had two separate rotator cuff injuries—one in 2008 from weightlifting and another in 2023 from tennis. Both were painful, but each taught me something different about recovery.
2008 injury:
An MRI showed a 1 cm partial tear of the supraspinatus tendon. I received a cortisone injection under fluoroscopy, which gave great short-term pain relief to be honest. But I wasn’t diligent with rehab (do as I say, not as I did). Recovery dragged on, and the pain returned like I never got the shot in the first place. The doctor was a friend of mine and did a great job, so it wasn’t a case of poor performance.2023 injury:
This time, I was disciplined with rehab and used dry needling and electrical stimulation consistently. Even so, the pain was intense, especially at night. Recovery took time, but I was able to return to tennis and regular activity with far fewer setbacks. But it took forever and was infuriating. I went from playing three times a week to zero for nine months, and then only started with the saddest light level of play that built up over time.
Lesson learned: With rotator cuff tears, healing is a marathon. I tell my patients to mentally prepare for up to a year of recovery. Conservative care, however, makes that year productive—building strength, restoring function, and reducing pain—rather than just waiting and suffering, and most importantly, it decreases recovery time.
Conventional Treatments (and Their Limits)
Rotator cuff pain is often managed with:
Rest and anti-inflammatories like Advil (NSAIDs): They may reduce pain, but do not heal the tendon.
Cortisone injections: Helpful for short-term relief but can weaken tendon tissue if repeated.
Physical therapy: Essential for long-term function, but difficult to do when pain is severe.
Surgery: Sometimes necessary for full tears, but recovery is often 6–12 months and not always successful.
Many patients get stuck in a cycle: pain → injection → temporary relief → pain again. What’s missing is a treatment that reduces pain while supporting the body’s natural healing.
Why Acupuncture and Dry Needling Work for Shoulder Pain
1. Pain Relief
Acupuncture and dry needling stimulate the body’s pain-regulating systems, calming overactive nerves and reducing inflammation. Patients often notice less pain and easier movement after just the first session. Honestly even after twenty-five years I’m still surprised by how it can work so fast. It’s not a hundred percent slam dunk for everyone, but it can be magical.
2. Improved Blood Flow
Tendons heal slowly because they have limited circulation. Needling increases blood flow to the area, delivering oxygen and nutrients that support tissue repair. In fact, sometimes it not an inflammatory problem, but a blood flow problem. We see that a lot with chronic Achilles tendon tears.
3. Neuromuscular Reset
With injury, muscles around the shoulder can spasm or shut down. Electroacupuncture (gentle electrical current through the needles) helps reset these patterns, allowing muscles to fire correctly and stabilizing the shoulder joint.
4. Sleep Restoration
By reducing pain signals, acupuncture helps patients sleep through the night again—one of the most important parts of healing. If you have ever lost sleep because of pain, I don’t need to tell you how awful this is. The next day you can’t function and the pain gets worse, and then guess what, it’s time to not be able to sleep again. It's a vicious cycle for sure.
Case Studies From the Clinic
Case 1: Avoiding Surgery
A 38-year-old tennis player was diagnosed with a partial supraspinatus tear. This guy was having pain and just playing through it for months and months. The pain got worse and his strength declined. Surgery was scheduled, but he and his surgeon wanted to try conservative care first. After eight treatments of dry needling with electroacupuncture, his pain dropped significantly, range of motion improved, and he cancelled the surgery. I work with some great surgeons. They only want to operate as a last resort and don’t rush in there.
Case 2: Post-Surgery Recovery
A 55-year-old man came in six months after rotator cuff repair surgery. He was still in pain, struggling to sleep, and unable to progress in physical therapy. After three weeks of treatment, his nighttime pain resolved dramatically, and his therapist cleared him to begin strengthening exercises. After surgery there’s scar tissue, there’s atrophy, there’s still pain. It’s not a fun time, but with good care it doesn’t have to be awful.
Research Evidence
Several studies support acupuncture and dry needling for shoulder pain:
A 2022 systematic review in Pain Medicine found that acupuncture significantly improved pain and function in rotator cuff disorders compared to sham treatment.
A randomized trial in Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy showed that dry needling improved range of motion and pain scores in patients with shoulder impingement.
Animal studies show electroacupuncture accelerates tendon healing by improving circulation and stimulating collagen repair.
Both clinical experience and existing studies suggest acupuncture and needle therapy is a valuable, low-risk treatment option. The big offer I make patients is that this won’t make it worse. That’s not a claim all treatments can make.
FAQs About Shoulder Dry Needling and Acupuncture
Do I need an MRI before treatment?
Not always. MRIs are most useful if a full tear or surgery is suspected. For tendonitis or partial tears, a clinical exam is often enough.
How many sessions will I need?
Most patients feel improvement fast. I tell patients to stick it out for 3–6 sessions and let’s reassess. Long-term recovery usually requires ongoing care combined with rehab.
Is acupuncture and dry needling safe if I’ve had surgery?
Yes. Acupuncture and dry needling are excellent adjuncts after surgery, helping manage pain and stiffness so you can progress faster in rehab.
Can acupuncture really prevent surgery?
In many partial tears and tendonitis cases, yes. Even if surgery is eventually needed, acupuncture improves the odds of a smoother recovery.
The Big Takeaways
Rotator cuff tears take time to heal—often up to a year.
Surgery is not always necessary. Many partial tears respond to conservative care.
Dry needling and acupuncture, especially with electroacupuncture, reduce pain, restore muscle balance, and improve recovery.
These treatments help whether you’re trying to avoid surgery or recovering after one.
Call to Action: Don’t Wait Another Year in Pain
If you’re struggling with shoulder or rotator cuff pain, don’t wait for it to “heal on its own.” Most patients who come in say they wish they had started sooner.
👉 Call us at 323.899.3531 or book online now.
We are located in the heart of Los Angeles, in the Melrose area of West Hollywood.
With over 20 years of clinical experience, I’ve helped countless patients—and used these same treatments myself—to recover from rotator cuff injuries. You don’t have to live with pain or sleepless nights, take my word for it.
