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Elbow pain

Elbow pain can significantly hinder daily activities such as lifting, squeezing, opening a door, working behind the computer or sports. The pain can be on the inside or outside of the elbow and sometimes radiate to the forearm. Also stiffness, loss of strength or sensitivity around the elbow can occur.

The symptoms may occur suddenly after an injury, but often gradually develop through repeated stress on muscles and tendons. A tennis elbow requires a different approach than for example a mucus fair inflammation, nerve irritation or joint problem.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be used to reduce pain and support recovery. The treatment is tailored to the cause, character and duration of your symptoms.

Western disorders in which elbow pain may occur

Elbow pain is a symptom and can have several causes. Common conditions and injuries are:

Not all the pain around the elbow arises in the elbow itself. Complaints from, for example, the neck, shoulder or nerves can radiate to the arm and are felt around the elbow.

Possible causes

Many elbow complaints are caused by repeated loads. Sports such as tennis, paddle and golf can play a role, but the same complaints may arise from strength training, work, jobs, gardening or other activities where the same movement is often repeated.

In addition, elbow pain can occur after a fall, bump or sudden wrong movement. In the event of prolonged complaints, changes in tendons or joint may play a role. Also osteoarthritis, inflammatory diseases, slime fair inflammation or irritation of a nerve can cause pain around the elbow.

The appropriate treatment therefore depends partly on the cause and factors that continue to provoke the complaints.

How can acupuncture help with elbow pain?

Acupuncture looks at the location and character of the pain, how the symptoms occurred and what movements trigger the pain. Also, stiffness, muscle tension, motility and capacity for activity are included. The treatment can be adjusted during recovery.

Acupuncture may include:

In the case of overload complaints, it is also important to address the cause of the load. Acupuncture can therefore be combined with physiotherapy, exercise therapy and an appropriate build-up of work or sports loads.

How can Chinese herbal medicine help with elbow pain?

Chinese herbs can be used in addition to acupuncture, especially if complaints are present for a long time, regularly return or are part of a wider picture of complaints. As herbs are taken daily, they can also provide support between acupuncture treatments.

Depending on the underlying pattern, Chinese herbal medicine may focus on:

The composition is tailored to your complaints and general health and can be adjusted during the treatment course. Herbs are not needed for any type of elbow pain; in a mainly local complaint, the emphasis may be on acupuncture, exercises and adjusting the load.

How does Chinese medicine view elbow pain?

Within Western medicine it is examined which structure or condition causes the pain, such as a tendon problem, mucus inflammation, nerve irritation or joint disorder. The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) also looks at the nature of the pain and the circumstances that caused or continues to cause the complaint.

In case of pain, the meridians and the flow of Qi and Blood are particularly central. Meridians are seen within TCM as connections through the body that circulates Qi and Blood. Several meridians walk across the inside and outside of the arm and pass through the elbow. Therefore, the precise location of the pain can help determine which meridians receive attention during treatment.

An important starting point within TCM is that pain occurs when the free flow in an area is obstructed. After overload, this disturbance can be relatively mild, while after injury or prolonged complaints a stronger local stagnation may occur. Cold and moisture can also impede movement around muscles, tendons and joints according to TCM. A warm, red and swollen elbow looks at a different pattern.

A recognizable combination of such characteristics is called a TCM pattern. Two people with the same Western diagnosis, for example a tennis elbow, can be treated differently.

Below are only the most common patterns discussed. Other patterns are possible and multiple patterns may occur at the same time. Not everyone with the same pattern has all the mentioned symptoms. The pattern is determined based on the overall picture of your symptoms.

What's a meridian?

What is a TCM pattern?

Most common TCM patterns in elbow pain

Qi- and Blood stagnation

With Qi- and Blood stagnation, the local flow around the elbow is hampered. This is often the case with repeated stress on muscles and tendons, where the same movement provokes the symptoms over and over again. The pain is usually clearly linked to a certain area around the elbow.

Common symptoms: local pain and tenderness, tension or stiffness around the elbow and symptoms that increase during or after repeated stress. Rest may relieve, after which the pain will return at the same load.

Examples of Western disorders: tennis elbow, golf elbow and other overload symptoms of muscles and tendons.

Blood stasis

In Blood stasis, local stagnation is stronger and usually more persistent. This pattern can occur after a fall, blow or other injury, but also when local elbow pain remains present for a long time.

Common symptoms: sharp or stabbing pain, clearly defined pain spot, strong sensitivity to pressure and prolonged complaints after injury. The pain can also be present at rest and become stronger at night.

Examples of Western disorders: long-term tendon symptoms, post- trauma or surgery complaints and chronic local elbow pain.

Wind-Cold-Dampness

According to TCM, cold and moisture can hinder the free movement around muscles, tendons and joints. This pattern fits especially with elbow pain where temperature and weather conditions clearly influence the complaints.

Common symptoms: pain and stiffness that get worse in cold or humid weather, a heavy or stiff feeling around the elbow, limited mobility and improvement by heat and quiet movement.

Examples of Western disorders: osteoarthritis and various prolonged muscle and joint problems in which cold and stiffness play a clear role.

Damp-Heat

At Dampness-Heat is a warm and inflammatory image in the foreground. The elbow can be clearly warmer and swollen and the pain often feels different from a cold, stiff elbow.

Common symptoms: warmth or redness around the elbow, swelling, burning or throbbing pain and symptoms that may worsen due to heat.

Examples of Western disorders: mucus fair inflammation and some inflammatory joint complaints.

Outlook

How quickly elbow pain improves depends on the cause, duration and severity of the complaints and the load on the arm in daily life. A recent overload or mild injury can recover relatively quickly, while prolonged tendon symptoms, osteoarthritis or complaints that have been present for months usually require more time.

In the initial phase, it is often treated about once a week. For acute or severe symptoms, treatment may be more frequent temporarily. When pain decreases and strength improves, the frequency can usually be reduced. These are guidelines; the course of treatment is tailored to your situation.

In the case of overload complaints, it is important to look at sports, work, technology and tax build-up at the same time. Targeted exercises and a gradual return to normal taxation can contribute to recovery and help prevent complaints from returning.

Contact

Do you suffer from elbow pain and want to know if acupuncture can mean anything to you?

During a first consultation, we will discuss your complaints, medical history and any underlying factors. On the basis of this, a treatment plan will be drawn up that matches your situation.

You can make an appointment directly online or contact us for more information.

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