Acupuncture for tennis elbow is a common use of acupuncture because it is effective and non-invasive. In fact acupuncture should be the first line of treatment for many inflamed tendons. Tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis occurs when the tendons on the outside of the lower part of the arm get strained. Typically this is an overuse injury and can occur from any activity that causes repetitive movements involving those tendons. Some of these include climbing, other racket sports, waiting tables, gripping motions, other manual labor activities. This kind of injury can also occur from an abrupt jarring motion involving those tendons. The tendons involved are from the muscles in the extensors of the wrist known as extensor carpi ulnaris, extensor carpi radialis brevis, extensor digitorum, extensor digiti minimi. Acupuncture for tennis elbow works to heal these tendends via several mechanisms. 

Symptoms of Tennis Elbow

When you have tennis elbow you may notice several symptoms varying from tenderness along lateral aspect of elbow (to touch or with movement), pain with gripping motions, morning stiffness, pouring something our of a pitcher, etc. These motions and movements all involve the muscles that extend the wrist. All these muscle converge to insert into the arm at the lateral aspect of the elbow. With acupuncture for tennis elbow we can calm down the inflammation and stimulate a healing process directly at the site of pain. There is no conventional medical treatment that can do this. 

Why Acupuncture for Tennis Elbow is Superior Treatment

Conventional treatment for tennis elbow are RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation), ibuprofen (or other NSAIDS), and in some cases a steroid injections. With the exception of RICE these treatments don't stimulate the healing process and do have side effects. ibuprofen can be taken in modest doses without much issue for most but longterm use is know to damage the stomach and kidneys. Therefore short term doses will likely cause damage too. While it will relive the pain, a steroid injection will cause significantly more damage to the tendons, making them weaker. You see the inflammation that is taking place when you have an injury serves a purpose to repair the damaged tissue. When we shut this off with a steroid the repair process also shuts off. The pain goes away and the tendons never get that full recovery. This is not the case with acupuncture for tennis elbow. 

The goal of treatment with acupuncture for tennis elbow and other sports-related conditions, is to reduce this inflammation but also stimulate repair of the damaged tissue. Through this process pain relief occurs quickly. The combination of increased blood flow, release of hormones, endorphins, and immune modulating factors acupuncture gets those suffering from tennis elbow back to their sport of choice quickly. 

Where in Phoenix Can I get Acupuncture for Tennis Elbow 

Southwest Integrative Medicine has phoenix acupuncture service specifically for tennis elbow and other sports related injuries. "It's not just about relieving the pain, it's about getting the body back to where it can perform at its peak," says phoenix acupucnturist Dr Robin Terranella. "Anyone can give RICE and ibuprofen and get pain relief but that is not going to get the best results for those tendons in the long term." Through inserting hair-thin needles in and around areas of pain that follow the acupuncture meridians in the elbow, there is an increase of energy flow through that area. This energy, known as Qi, is the central focus for acupuncture. By inserting these needles locally, your Phoenix acupuncturist will also stimulate blood flow to the area. Increased blood flow will bring nutrients to nourish the area and take away waste.  The treatment will stimulate your body's natural healing and repairing mechanisms in and around the tendons of the elbow. This acupuncture treatment will also give a generalized and localized analgesic effect, similar to that of lidocaine or other local anesthetics.

To learn more about this and other phoenix acupuncture services, click on the link below for a free acupuncture consultation.