🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Shoulder periarthritis primarily affects middle-aged and elderly people around 50 years old, hence also known as "fifty shoulder." The clinical feature of this condition is pain in the shoulder and arm. Initially, there is mild pain around the shoulder, often overlooked; later, the pain intensifies, with restricted abduction and external rotation of the shoulder joint. Tenderness can be found on the anterior, posterior, and lateral aspects of the shoulder, with limited abduction function. During passive continued abduction, the shoulder elevates accordingly. In severe cases, muscle atrophy occurs, especially in the deltoid muscle, accompanied by intense pain, particularly worse at night, with significant restriction in both abduction and internal/external rotation. The course of the disease generally lasts within one year, though some may extend up to a year.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Differentiation and Treatment
Acute Phase
[Clinical Manifestations] Shoulder and arm pain, inability to raise the hand, restricted abduction and external rotation of the shoulder joint. Tenderness present on anterior, posterior, and lateral sides of the shoulder. Tongue appears pale red, coating white, pulse wiry and weak.
[Dietary Therapy]
1. Angelica and Pepper Lean Meat Soup: 12g pepper, 20g angelica, 60g lean pork. Boil in water, drink the soup and eat the meat, once daily.
2. Astragalus and Cinnamon Lean Meat Soup: 30g astragalus, 6g cinnamon, 50g lean pork. Boil in water, eat meat and drink soup, once daily.
3. Angelica and Ligusticum Porridge: 20g angelica head, 10g ligusticum, 100g rice. Simmer angelica and ligusticum in a clay pot for half an hour, remove residue, add rice to cook porridge, consume 1–2 times daily.
Chronic Phase
[Clinical Manifestations] Persistent shoulder and arm pain lasting long-term, especially worse at night, numbness in hands and feet, dizziness, blurred vision, inability to lift or abduct the arm. Tongue pale red, coating white, pulse wiry and fine.
[Dietary Therapy]
1. Angelica Pig Liver Porridge: 20g angelica, 50g pig liver, 60g glutinous rice. Cook together into porridge, serve as meal supplement.
2. Earth-Root Golden Bull Egg Stew: 20g earth-root golden bull root, 1 egg. Boil with 2 bowls of water, after egg is cooked, remove shell and boil another 10 minutes until reduced to 1 bowl. Drink the broth and eat the egg.
3. Astragalus and Angelica Pig Pancreas Soup: 30g astragalus, 20g angelica, 1 pig pancreas. Boil in water, drink soup and eat pancreas, once daily.