Treating Medial Epicondylitis (aka Golfer’s Elbow) with Acupuncture

Treating Medial Epicondylitis (aka Golfer’s Elbow) with AcupunctureWhat is it?
Medial Epicondylitis is a sports injury incurred by golfers involving elbow pain resulting from inflammation and/or tears of the muscles and tendons surrounding the medial epicondyle (inside elbow). These are the tendons that connect to the humerus which can become damaged from the repeated twisting that occurs when playing golf. This is the most common repetitive use injury suffered by golfers and is similar to the lateral epicondylitis suffered by tennis players. These injuries so often become chronic and the traditional western therapies have little success in resolving the pain permanently. Acupuncture, however, has been shown to do just that.
What can acupuncture do for Golfer’s Elbow?

A research has shown that regardless of how long the patient has suffered from the pain, acupuncture provides immediate and enduring relief. As an acupuncturist who specializes in pain, I can account for this because of the simple logic that acupuncture can literally penetrate to the source of the problem and physically release the muscle tension surrounding the injury and provide increased circulation through the specific channels that are inflamed, damaged, and obstructed. There has been a good deal of research that acupuncture has the ability to speed healing of damaged tissue, reduce inflammation, and release natural opiates to alleviate pain during the recovery phase. What some people do not realize is that it actually brings blood to the area and smoothes the flow of blood circulation in a specific area. This is why acupuncture can treat virtually any physical pain in the body.

How many treatments does it take?
The course of therapy always depends on how long the condition has existed. Generally, most patients are resolved of pain in 2 to 10 treatments. The shorter course of treatment is appropriate for patients who are just recently injured.

What this shows is that acupuncture is a safe and highly effective therapy that exceeds the benefits of most standard therapies. There is a simple logic to how it works and yet the majority of patients who participate in studies have tried everything else before they are willing to try acupuncture. We have a long way to go in showing the public that acupuncture is a perfectly logical, well reasoned form of treatment that is incredibly effective. Please spread the word.

Nancy Brem