Pain Symptom
Shoulder Pain
By Dr. Anthony J. Gordon, Doctor of Acupuncture | Last reviewed September 2026
Reaching overhead hurts, putting on a jacket hurts, and you cannot sleep on that side. Maybe physical therapy has helped only partly. The shoulder depends on a group of small rotator cuff muscles and the shoulder blade muscles that position it, and trigger points in those muscles are a common and treatable source of shoulder pain.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (516) 597-5400. Most new patients are seen within one to two weeks.
Overview
Understanding Shoulder Pain
The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, which makes it prone to pain. Common sources include rotator cuff tendon irritation or tears, impingement, bursitis, frozen shoulder, labral tears and arthritis. Your physician may order imaging, especially after an injury or with significant weakness.
Many cases of shoulder pain are driven or amplified by muscle patterns. Trigger points in the infraspinatus, supraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor refer pain deep into the shoulder and down the arm. Weak or tight shoulder blade muscles change how the arm moves. Neck problems can also refer pain to the shoulder.
Dr. Gordon treats the rotator cuff, shoulder blade and neck muscles involved in your shoulder pain, and coordinates with your orthopedist or physical therapist.
Shoulder Pain at a Glance
Common sources
Rotator cuff, impingement, bursitis, frozen shoulder, arthritis
Common aggravators
Reaching overhead, behind the back, lifting, sleeping on the side
Key muscles
Infraspinatus, supraspinatus, subscapularis, teres minor, shoulder blade muscles
Often seen with
Neck pain, upper back pain, elbow pain
Why needling helps
Rotator cuff trigger points refer deep shoulder pain and limit movement
The Gap in Care
What Tests Check, and What They Can Miss
Shoulder pain is often attributed to the tendon or joint. Rotator cuff trigger points and neck referral are frequently overlooked.
What routine testing is looking for
- Full rotator cuff tears
- Fractures or dislocations
- Frozen shoulder
- Arthritis
What often keeps symptoms going
- Infraspinatus and supraspinatus trigger points
- Subscapularis tension limiting rotation
- Shoulder blade muscle imbalance
- Pain referred from the neck
- Sleep position and overhead work
These are found with hands-on and movement testing.
Signs & Symptoms
Does This Sound Like You?
Symptoms vary from person to person. These are the patterns Dr. Gordon sees most often.
Pain reaching overhead
Pain lifting your arm.
Pain reaching behind your back
Pain tucking in a shirt or fastening clothing.
Night pain
Pain sleeping on the affected side.
Pain down the arm
Aching spreading down the outer arm.
Weakness
Reduced strength lifting or carrying.
Stiffness
Reduced range of motion.
Root Causes
The Four Drivers Dr. Gordon Looks For
Most people have more than one of these in play. Finding which one leads makes treatment more efficient.
Rotator cuff trigger points
Trigger points refer deep shoulder pain and limit movement.
Shoulder blade control
Weak or tight shoulder blade muscles change arm mechanics.
Tendon irritation
Tendons become irritated with overload or impingement.
Neck referral
Neck problems can send pain to the shoulder.
Your First Visit
How Dr. Gordon Evaluates Shoulder Pain
The initial evaluation runs 60 to 75 minutes. You leave with a clear picture of what is driving your symptoms, a written plan, a realistic timeline, and in most cases your first treatment.
Records and history review
Dr. Gordon reviews your imaging, physician or physical therapy notes, medications and past treatments so he knows what has been ruled out and what has already been tried.
Shoulder joint testing
Tests for rotator cuff, impingement and joint involvement.
Muscle mapping
Assessment of the rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles.
Neck screen
Dr. Gordon checks whether the neck is contributing.
Plan and coordination
A clear plan, plus communication with your physician, orthopedist or physical therapist when that helps your care.
When to see a physician first
- Sudden weakness in the arm or hand
- Numbness or tingling that is spreading or getting worse
- A hot, red, swollen joint or fever
- Visible deformity or inability to use the arm after an injury
- Arm pain with chest pain, shortness of breath or sweating
- Loss of grip with dropping objects frequently
If you have any of these, contact your doctor or go to the nearest emergency department.
Bring to your first visit
Records
Recent lab results, imaging reports and specialist notes. These can also be faxed ahead.
Treatment history
A short list of what you have tried and what did or did not help.
Clothing
Something comfortable and loose fitting.
Treatment
How Dr. Gordon Treats It
These are the tools Dr. Gordon uses most often for shoulder pain, chosen from your exam findings.
Primary approach
Orthopedic Dry Needling
Dr. Gordon has used dry needling for more than 18 years. Treatment releases trigger points in the rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles that cause deep shoulder pain.
See all servicesNerve focus
Neuro-Functional Acupuncture
Electro-acupuncture to calm pain and support recovery.
See all servicesBetween visits
Shoulder Plan & Team Coordination
Sleep, work and strengthening guidance, coordinated with your orthopedist or physical therapist.
Referring provider? Contact the clinicWhat to Expect
A Typical Recovery Arc
Visits 1 to 3
Find the main driver
Dr. Gordon confirms which muscles and nerves are behind your symptoms and starts calming the most reactive areas. Many people notice early changes between visits.
Visits 4 to 8
Lower the baseline
Day-to-day symptoms ease, flares become shorter and less frequent, and normal routines start to feel more manageable.
Visits 9 to 12 and beyond
Build resilience
Visits are spaced out as improvement holds. You leave with a maintenance and early-flare plan.
Most patients are seen weekly or every other week during active care. Individual results vary with how long symptoms have been present and how reactive they are. Progress is reassessed at every visit.
Not sure how to describe it? Put your pain or discomfort into words before your visit
"Dr. Gordon is a wonderful doctor who has an eclectic treatment approach to healing, using a myriad of therapies from the ancient art of acupuncture to the latest state-of-the-art technologies. He eliminated my shoulder pain in a few sessions and my back pain has improved 90%."
Gary de Sesa, Google Review
Shoulder Pain Questions
Answers About Shoulder Pain
Still unsure whether this is the right fit? Reach out before you book and Dr. Gordon will talk through your history with you.
Yes. Many partial tears are managed conservatively, and treating surrounding trigger points often reduces pain.
Yes, as part of a plan with your physician or physical therapist.
Lying on the shoulder compresses irritated tissue, and trigger points often ache at rest.
Yes. The neck can refer pain to the shoulder.
Many people improve within four to eight sessions.
Yes, once cleared by your surgeon.
Before You Book
General Questions
The clinic is an out-of-network practice. The initial evaluation is $300 and follow-up visits are $250. After each visit you receive a detailed superbill to submit to your PPO plan for possible reimbursement. FSA and HSA cards are accepted, and the clinic can run a complimentary benefits check before your first appointment. The check is a courtesy, so please confirm your coverage with your plan. See Insurance & Fees for details. See Insurance & Fees for details.
The first evaluation is 60 to 75 minutes and usually includes treatment. Follow-up visits run 45 to 60 minutes.
Yes. Call (516) 597-5400 or send a message through the contact page. This is especially helpful if your case is complex and you want to understand the approach before committing to a full evaluation.
1508 Union Turnpike, Suite 133, North New Hyde Park, NY 11040, with free parking on site. The clinic is an easy drive from Manhasset, Great Neck, Garden City, Lake Success, Floral Park and Mineola. Early morning, evening and weekend hours are available.
Most people feel a quick muscle twitch or a deep ache that lasts a few seconds. That twitch is a normal sign the trigger point is releasing. Mild soreness for 24 to 48 hours afterward, similar to a hard workout, is common. Depth, angle and stimulation are adjusted to your comfort.
Both use the same fine, sterile, single-use needles. Dry needling targets specific trigger points and tight bands in muscle based on your exam. Neuro-functional acupuncture targets nerve pathways, often with gentle electrical stimulation, to calm nerve sensitivity. For shoulder pain, Dr. Gordon commonly uses both.
When performed by a trained, licensed provider with detailed knowledge of anatomy, it has a strong safety record. Tell Dr. Gordon if you take blood thinners, have a bleeding disorder, are pregnant or have a weakened immune system so he can plan accordingly.
About Dr. Anthony J. Gordon
Dr. Anthony J. Gordon is a Doctor of Acupuncture licensed in New York and board certified. He holds ASE certification in intrapelvic and extrapelvic dry needling, along with advanced certifications in Functional Dry Needling and Neuro-Functional Acupuncture. With more than 18 years of clinical experience and over 3,000 complex cases treated, he focuses on pelvic, spinal and orthopedic conditions that have not responded to standard care, and works closely with each patient's physicians and physical therapists.
Read Dr. Gordon's full bioFurther Reading
What Does Dry Needling Feel Like? A Walk Through Your First Session
From the blog: the pinch, the twitch and the deep ache, and what the day after is like.
Further Reading
Shoulder Pain That Will Not Go Away: Rotator Cuff, Trigger Points or Both?
From the blog: Shoulder pain that lingers is not always the rotator cuff tendon. How tendon problems differ from muscle trigger points, and why many people have both.
Book an Evaluation for Shoulder Pain
Book a full evaluation with Dr. Gordon and find the source of your shoulder pain.
Early morning, evening and weekend appointments available. Free on-site parking.
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