Tennis Elbow

The process for the first visit is as follows. First, through a medical history, we identify the onset time of pain, movements that worsen the condition, and occupational and daily activity loads. We then differentiate between tennis elbow and the possibility of referred pain originating from the neck or shoulder through palpation of tender points and provocation tests (such as the resistance wrist extension test). Subsequently, an ultrasound examination confirms tendon thickening, hypoechoic degeneration, partial rupture, and the presence of calcification, allowing us to objectively design the intensity and duration of treatment. Once a diagnosis is made, acupuncture treatment usually begins on the same day; in cases of severe pain, pharmacopuncture is added to aim for pain relief from the very first day. The entire process, from examination to the first treatment, typically takes about 30 minutes to an hour. Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective The first step in Korean medicine treatment is identifying the specific type of condition a patient has, even if it is the same case of tennis elbow. The acupuncture points and herbal medicine approach vary depending on whether the condition involves blood stagnation at the injured site, tendon atrophy due to overwork and blood deficiency, or a concentration of energy and blood in one spot caused by exposure to cold. This is why we place as much importance on a comprehensive physical examination—feeding the pulse, examining the tongue, and asking about the entire body—as we do on examining the painful area. Dongjedang’s initial consultation combines this diagnosis with ultrasound evaluation to establish the big picture on the first day: determining where external treatment should begin and what stages to proceed through, and what to cleanse and replenish for internal treatment. For office workers, tension in the neck and shoulders often increases the burden on the elbow, so we examine the entire arm together, following the pathways where energy and blood flow. The planning established on the first day is half the treatment, more so than the single acupuncture needle on the first day.