A pinch when reaching overhead
Worst between shoulder height and fully overhead, such as pressing, serving or reaching into a high cabinet.
Shoulder pain is a symptom, and it can come from several places. It may be a pinch when you reach overhead or an ache that wakes you when you roll onto that side. For some, tension climbs into the neck when they lift.
Muscle sources are the most common, especially the infraspinatus and supraspinatus of the rotator cuff, the pectoralis minor and the upper trapezius. The shoulder joint and its capsule can stiffen, and the biceps tendon can become irritated at the front. When the shoulder blade is slow to rotate, the space overhead narrows and other muscles take over. The suprascapular nerve and nerves from the neck can also play a part.
My treatment is dry needling, a form of acupuncture, for the cuff and shoulder blade muscles that reproduce your pain. A tight pectoralis minor can compress the brachial plexus, the bundle of nerves heading to the arm. I needle it to open space around those nerves. The suprascapular nerve supplies the supraspinatus and infraspinatus, and it can become irritable on its own. For that I use electroacupuncture, setting fine needles near the nerve with a light current to help adjust how it is signaling.
Most people have tried rest, anti-inflammatories, a cortisone injection, or physical therapy, and many have an MRI listing bursitis, tendinosis or fraying. Those findings are common with age and training and often don’t explain why the shoulder hurts in certain positions. Rest can calm it, but the pain tends to return with lifting, swimming or travel. Dry needling also isn’t something your PT or chiropractor could have offered, since New York doesn’t permit it for those professions.
I ask which arm positions bring the pain on, what eases it, and how it affects your sleep and training. Then the exam:
I collaborate with orthopedists, primary care doctors and physical therapists, and you can bring any imaging you already have. If anything in your exam suggests a visit with one of them, I’ll flag it and share the details.
Not always. Much shoulder pain can be assessed through the exam without imaging. If your history suggests a large tear, instability or a fracture, I’ll let you know that a medical evaluation should come first.
Those labels describe parts of the picture, but they don’t always explain why the pain persists. I look at how the cuff and shoulder blade work together and whether a nerve is involved. If a structural problem seems likely, I’ll say so and point out which specialist fits.
It is the core of how I treat it, and it is usually a combination. The rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles get most of the attention. Releasing the pec minor also eases the nerves passing under it, and electroacupuncture is used if the suprascapular nerve stays reactive.
Some soreness for a day or two after treatment can happen. I adjust the intensity to how reactive your shoulder is.
Often yes, with some limits. I’ll suggest changes to overhead volume and pressing depth until the shoulder tolerates them more consistently.
Get seen promptly for sudden loss of strength after an injury, visible deformity, or repeated dislocations. Fever, severe night pain unrelated to position, progressive numbness or weakness, and pain after significant trauma also need a doctor first.
Adults with pelvic floor, nerve and orthopedic pain, along with neurological conditions. Most of my patients come to me after other care hasn't fully settled things. If you're looking for general wellness acupuncture, I'm not the right fit.
We review your history and what you've already tried. I assess the muscles and nerves involved, and you're treated the same day.
It depends on the condition. Pelvic and orthopedic plans usually run 4 to 6 weeks. Neurological plans are usually 2 visits a week for 6 weeks or 3 a week for 4. After that, visits space out so the changes hold. These are typical timelines, not promises.
Yes. I work alongside doctors, physical therapists and specialists. If something I find needs a closer look from one of them, I'll tell you.
I'm an out-of-network provider. You pay at the time of your visit, and my office submits the claim so any reimbursement comes to you. Free benefit checks are available before your first visit through the verification form, and HSA and FSA cards work. I don't take Medicare or Medicaid, though some Medicare Advantage plans reimburse out-of-network care. Full insurance details
Yes. I treat adults, teens and children, though I don't specialize in infants or toddlers.
Yes. Book a free discovery call to ask your questions and see whether we're a good fit.
Dry needling is a form of acupuncture. Fine needles go into tight bands of muscle and trigger points to lower muscle tension and change how the area is signaling.
You may feel a brief twitch or a deep ache as the needle reaches tight muscle. It passes quickly, and any soreness afterward usually fades within a day or two.
It's generally safe with a properly trained practitioner. Needles are sterile and single-use, and I check your health history first, including blood thinners. In New York, dry needling can only be performed by licensed acupuncturists, MDs and DOs. Physical therapists and chiropractors aren't permitted to perform it.
Eat something light beforehand and wear loose clothing that lets me reach the area being treated.
Usually not. Ultrasound helps in a few specific cases, but it hasn't been shown to improve results for common trigger points. A careful hands-on exam is what guides the needle. More on ultrasound-guided dry needling
Dry needling aimed at the pelvic floor and the hip and abdominal muscles around it, for pain, tension and urinary symptoms driven by those muscles and their nerves. More on pelvic floor dry needling
Sometimes, depending on the muscles involved, and you'll be draped throughout. Treatment always follows your consent and comfort. I don't do internal exams or internal treatment.
No, though it helps if you've already seen a doctor or pelvic floor physical therapist. Bring any notes or imaging you have.
Completely. I've heard it all, and there's no judgment here, just a straightforward conversation so we can treat what's going on.
Yes, I treat adults of every gender and identity. After gender-affirming surgery involving the pelvis, bring your surgical notes and we'll decide together what fits.
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118 W. 72nd St, Rear Lobby, New York, NY 10023
Evidence-based acupuncture and dry needling on the Upper West Side. From chronic pain and headaches to pelvic floor dysfunction, Dr. Jordan Barber pairs the highest level of training with care that actually listens.
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