Chronic Symptoms 
Stiff Shoulders (Katakori)
A symptom where muscles from the neck to the shoulders and back feel stiff and heavy. It is often triggered by desk work, stress, or eye strain, leading to poor blood circulation.
Mechanism of Stiff Shoulders and the Kampo Approach
Caution
If you have a stiff shoulder accompanied by severe headache, nausea, or numbness, please consult a specialist such as an orthopedic surgeon or neurosurgeon first.
Stiff shoulders are primarily caused by “poor blood circulation” due to muscle tension. In Kampo, it is believed that stiff shoulders occur when there is a deficiency of “Blood” which nourishes the muscles, or when the flow of “Qi” is stagnated due to stress.
Main Kampo Approaches
- Kakkonto: Suitable for people with relatively high physical strength who have tension and pain in the neck and shoulder muscles. It is also used at the early stages of a cold.
- Dokkatsukakkonto: Effective for chronic stiff shoulders and pain from frozen shoulder.
- Shakuyakukanzoto: Expected to provide immediate relief when muscles cramp suddenly or have severe stiffness.