Many of us think that just athletes can develop a painful condition called Tennis Elbow. This is simply not true! Yes, it is named after the sport, but the interesting thing about tennis elbow is that you can also develop it from any type of repetitive movement, such as repetitive job tasks.
What is tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow, officially named lateral epicondylitis, is a form of tendinitis. Symptoms are usually elbow and arm pain caused by injured tendons from muscles, which attach to the outer humerus bone. This is caused by overuse of tendons in your elbow, usually by repetitive motions of the wrist and arm. Some of the symptoms of tennis elbow include:
- Aching of the elbow joint
- Stiffness of the elbow joint
- Increased pain in the elbow when holding an object
- Tenderness on the outside of the elbow
- Soreness in the forearm
Acupuncture is the perfect treatment for tennis elbow
Tennis elbow can be treated in a variety of ways: over-the-counter pain medications, physical therapy and injections are just a few examples. Severe cases of tennis elbow could even require surgery. Acupuncture just happens to be an ideal treatment for tennis elbow for many reasons:
- Acupuncture is a non-invasive treatment.
- This form of medicine has been around for several thousand years and has been proved to not only help alleviate pain, but to cure this condition.
- Acupuncture allows your own body to participate in the healing process by balancing the ‘Qi’ or natural energy of the body.
In traditional oriental medicine, acupuncture is viewed as an essential method for the healing and reversal of disease. Acupuncture restores the normal flow of energy through targeting important points along the body called meridian points. Very small needles are inserted into these specific points, allowing the body to redirect or unblock the flow of energy in our system. When acupuncture is combined with manual therapy to deeply work on the tendons; healing will most likely occur. There are always those individuals who will need a more invasive form of treatment due to the severity of the condition, but it makes sense from a physical, as well as financial, viewpoint to try acupuncture as a treatment method for tennis elbow.
In Western medicine, a publication by the United States National Institutes of Health [1], determined that acupuncture may be useful as an adjunct treatment or an acceptable alternative treatment for tennis elbow. [2]
Dr Han is highly trained in Acupuncture with a concentration in Chinese Herbs. He has over 3500 hours of training Oriental Medicine. Contact Dr. Han to set up an appointment or to ask questions about how acupuncture can treat tennis elbow.
[1] NIH Consensus Conference. Acupuncture. JAMA. 1998 Nov 4; 280(17):1518-24.
[2] Protocol for Acupuncture Treatment of Lateral Elbow Pain: A Multisite Randomised Controlled Trial in China, Hong Kong, Australia, and Italy.