Tennis Elbow

Significant effects on pain reduction and grip strength recovery have been reported in several randomized controlled studies regarding acupuncture treatment for tennis elbow. Acupuncture stimulation increases local blood flow, activates pain-inhibiting neural pathways, and improves the microenvironment at the tendon attachment site. It is important to note that chronic tennis elbow is not inflammation, but rather tendinosis. Degenerated tendons do not return to normal tissue simply by resting; a regenerative response must be induced through appropriate stimulation. If the condition has dragged on for more than six months, rest and treatment clearly produce different results. Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective

In Korean medicine, it is said that there is no pain when Qi and blood flow freely. Chronic tennis elbow is a condition where blood stasis is stagnant at the site of injury; since the flow of Qi and blood on the outer side of the elbow is blocked, rest alone cannot resolve the stagnation. Acupuncture is a treatment that restores this blocked flow. Dongjedang takes a step-by-step approach. We begin with standard acupuncture; once adhesions are confirmed, we use ultrasound-guided needles to separate hardened tissue and strengthen ligament attachments. For degenerated areas where recovery is slow, we promote regeneration with fire acupuncture and thread embedding. During periods of severe pain, we add anti-inflammatory effects with bee venom and pharmacopuncture. For professionals who require constant use of their arms, such as trainers, external treatment alone may be insufficient. Therefore, the key is to combine internal treatment—replenishing liver blood depleted by overuse and clearing blood stasis—to ensure the speed of recovery outpaces the speed of injury.