Is Acupuncture Effective for Tennis Elbow?

In my 7 year search to cure my tennis elbow for good, there is pretty much nothing I haven’t tried!

Both traditional and non-tradional treatment methods and just about everything in between.  If you too are suffering from tennis elbow, you know how painful it is and how much of a hindrance and nuisance it can be.

Especially when tennis elbow pain seems to strike at the most inopportune time.

So when a good friend of mine, who often uses Chinese remedies to treat his illnesses and injuries, recommended I give acupuncture a try in treating my tennis elbow, I thought why not!

Perhaps you have heard of acupuncture but have never tried it.  Well here is what acupuncture for tennis elbow involves.

Acupuncture is part of traditional Chinese medicine.  The Chinese also believe that it is a tennis elbow natural cure.  In the Chinese culture, they believe that all life forms possess “qi” a vital energy that goes through the 12 invisible points called meridians in the body.  Each one of these meridians is linked to a different organ in the body.  Disease develops and starts to take hold of the body when the flow of qi through the meridians becomes blocked, impeded or imbalanced.

How does acupuncture work?

Acupuncture’s goal is to restore these imbalances by inserting fine needles into the meridian points around the effected areas.  Acupuncture has become one of the most popular alternative therapies and in 1997, the FDA(Food and Drug Administration) classified the act of acupuncture needling from being “experimental” to a certified “medical device”.  And as a result many health insurance companies now cover acupuncture as part of their policies.

When you attend your acupuncture session for tennis elbow, the acupuncturist may insert 6 to 12 needles in and around your forearm and elbow.  There is no relationship between the number of needles and level of pain relief or aggressiveness of treatment.

Of more importance is the precise placement of the needles.  The Acupuncturist needs to ensure that the needles are inserted into the precise meridian points that correspond to the organ or body part being treated and in this case your injured elbow.

So what does it feel like when the needles are inserted?  Does it hurt?

Based on my experience, it felt like I was being stung by bees!

Others describe it as a slight prick or scratch. After the needle has been inserted, you should start to feel the pain dissipate.  Any sort of pain, numbness, tingling, burning and/or discomfort should be brought to the attention of the Acupuncturist.

A traditional acupuncture for tennis elbow usually lasts for about twenty to thirty minutes.

Your body’s natural defense mechanism to pain is the release of endorphins.  The reason why acupuncture can be effective is that it stimulates this exact same response in your body.

It is also not uncommon for your acupuncturist to compliment their treatment with other techniques such as moxibustion.  This is a technique where the acupuncture needles are heated using dried herb sticks while they are still inserted into your skin.

The Acupuncturist may also elect to try some electro stimulation to relieve your tennis elbow pain.  This is when electricity is used to stimulate two or four needles to relieve your muscle pain and stiffness.

What you must understand about tennis elbow and the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment is that you may get some pain relief but it will most certainly be temporary.  Tennis elbow is an injury whereby your extensor tendon suffers small, micro tears.  Acupuncture cannot repair and strengthen a torn tendon!

The best and most effective form of tennis elbow can be accomplished, implemented and performed from the comfort of your own living room without bee stinging acupuncture!  Simply follow the button below where a video will reveal this winning formula to you, so you can cure your tennis elbow completely starting today!