Elbow pain

Elbow pain can considerably hinder everyday activities. Simple actions such as lifting, opening a door, typing, gardening or exercising can become painful. The complaints sometimes arise suddenly after an injury, but more often develop gradually through repeated strain on muscles and tendons.

Not everyone with elbow pain receives a clear medical diagnosis. Even when imaging shows few abnormalities, the complaints can be considerable. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are regularly used as a complementary treatment to reduce pain, support recovery and improve the function of the elbow.

Western conditions in which elbow pain can occur

Elbow pain can occur with, among others:

Possible causes

Elbow pain can have various causes. Common factors are:

What can acupuncture do?

Acupuncture is aimed at supporting and regulating bodily functions during treatment. The treatment is tailored to your personal situation and can be adjusted over the course of the treatment, depending on how your complaints develop.

For elbow pain, acupuncture can, among other things, be aimed at:

Acupuncture can moreover be combined well with, for example, physiotherapy, exercise therapy or manual therapy.

What can Chinese herbal medicine do?

Chinese herbs are often used as a complement to acupuncture. Where acupuncture offers support during treatment, herbs can support the body daily in between treatments. The herbal formula is tailored to your personal situation and can be adjusted over the course of the treatment.

For elbow pain, Chinese herbs can, among other things, be used to:

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs complement each other in this and are therefore regularly used together.

How does Chinese medicine view elbow pain?

In Western medicine the diagnosis is often central. Chinese medicine also looks at which bodily functions are functioning less well and how different complaints relate to one another. As a result, two people with the same diagnosis, for example a tennis elbow, can nevertheless receive a different treatment.

For pain complaints such as elbow pain, the focus is mainly on the meridians that run through the arm. Along these meridians Qi and Blood circulate, which provide nourishment, movement and recovery of muscles, tendons and joints. When this flow is disrupted, for example through overuse, an injury or the entry of influences such as cold or damp, pain and restricted movement can arise.

When several complaints regularly occur together, in Chinese medicine we speak of a TCM pattern. Such a pattern helps to explain why the same complaint can have a different cause in different people and therefore also calls for a different treatment. The patterns that occur most often with elbow pain are:

Overuse with Qi and Blood stagnation

Through prolonged or repeated strain, muscles and tendons can recover less well, causing the flow of Qi and Blood to diminish.

Complaints that may fit with this are:

This pattern is often seen with a tennis elbow, golfer's elbow or other overuse injuries.

Blood stasis

When an injury is more serious or has existed for a longer time, the flow can be further obstructed. The pain then often becomes sharper and more persistent.

Complaints that may fit with this are:

Wind-Cold-Damp (Bi syndrome)

Some people notice that their elbow becomes more sensitive in cold or damp weather. In Chinese medicine this is seen as a form of Bi syndrome, in which external influences disrupt the flow in the meridians.

Complaints that may fit with this are:

Damp-Heat

When, besides pain, clear signs of inflammation are also present, Damp-Heat may be involved.

Complaints that may fit with this are:

It regularly happens that several patterns are present at the same time. For example, prolonged overuse can eventually lead to Blood stasis, causing the complaints to become more persistent.

Prognosis

The outlook for many elbow complaints is favourable, especially when treatment is started in good time.

Acute overuse complaints or minor injuries often improve within a few weeks. Long-standing complaints, such as a tennis elbow that has existed for months, usually take more time. In the initial phase, weekly treatments are often chosen, after which the frequency can be reduced once the complaints improve.

For a lasting result it is moreover important to address the cause of the overuse, for example by improving working posture, sports technique or training build-up.

Contact

Do you suffer from elbow pain and would you like to know whether acupuncture can mean something for you? During a first consultation we discuss your complaints, medical history and any underlying factors in detail. On that basis a treatment plan is drawn up that suits your situation. You can book an appointment online right away or get in touch for more information.

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