What is “Tennis Elbow”?
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is when the tendons of the elbow are stressed or overloaded through excess weight or repetitive use and it can cause a great deal of pain and be disabling with certain tasks.
Naturally it is not limited to a sport’s activity despite its name but any activity where there is a great deal of arm use and often a repetitive use like painting or cutting.
The pain is normally around the elbow but it can also spread down the arm and into the wrist.
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The Western Medical Approach:
The Western Medical approach to Tennis Elbow is to suggest rest and for the sufferer to take simple pain killing medications and anti-inflammatory drugs. In severe cases where rest and medication does not work and there is proven damage to the tendons – surgery could be offered as a solution.
Our Approach and Treatment:
The Five Element acupuncturist sees Tennis Elbow (like any symptom) as not only an indication of repetitive strain or overuse but also a sign of an imbalance in the person that is disabling their ability to recover.
All living beings are governed by the natural laws we observe in nature and the person’s inability to recover will have a cause in one of the five elements that produce our outer and inner reality. Practitioners of this ancient healing tradition have the skills to diagnose the unique cause of Tennis Elbow in each person and effect an acupuncture treatment that has the potential to not only help the tendons relax and heal but reduce all suffering
