By Matthew Enright AP – Parkland, Florida – Golf elbow (medial epicondylitis) and tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) are overload tendon issues caused when trauma is placed on the flexor (golf elbow) and extensor (tennis) muscles in the forearm. Tennis elbow causes pain at the upper and lateral parts of the arm. Its effects also include stiffness and tenderness. Golf elbow on the other hand leads to medial elbow pain.
Conventional treatments for these two issues apply the use of NSAIDs or corticosteroid injections. Doctors also propose a few lifestyle adjustments that could potentially help patients deal with the pain or get rid of it altogether. There are also instances in which the patient has to undergo surgery. Whatever the case, over 90% of golf and tennis elbow sufferers find relief within a year of the start of the pain.
Acupuncture is another approach to effectively treating these pains, and has been around for centuries as part of holistic Chinese medicine practices. It is quickly proving to be a more viable approach compared to Western forms of treatment. A patient does not suffer side effects like they would from taking medicines or having injections and in most cases can avoid surgery. They also recover pretty fast (after between 6 and 10 sessions to get full relief).
Acupuncture as a Remedy for Tennis Elbow and Golf Elbow
The Chinese have used acupuncture as a holistic form of treatment for all types of pain for centuries. The approach revolves around energy points called Qi and balance capabilities called Ying and Yang. When someone is healthy, Qi flows through the body seamlessly, and this boosts the working of organs as well as blood flow. When Qi is obstructed, then the individual becomes unwell.
When a patient has elbow pain, the implication is that the energy in their arm cannot flow freely, so there is no balance. Acupuncturists are able to resume this flow by placing needles along pathways responsible for the transfer of energy, also called meridians.
The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Hannover Medical School in Hannover, Germany, put out a study a while ago. The study backs the efficacy of acupuncture in dealing with elbow pain and shortening recovery times.
If you are a patient of tennis and golf elbow, we have good news. Our Parkland, Florida acupuncture clinic has a number of specialists who know how to use acupuncture to help you get rid of the problem for good. We have used acupuncture for a long time now, and the feedback from patients has been nothing less than appreciative. Contact us today for a free consultation and we will show you how it can work for you.