Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow cause pain on the outer or inner side of the elbow, often spreading into the forearm and making gripping, lifting or typing painful. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the same elbow pain can come from different imbalances, such as stuck circulation from repetitive strain, cold and damp settling in the joint, or long-term weakness that slows healing. Knowing your pattern helps us choose the right approach.
Most people with tennis or golfer’s elbow fit mainly into one of these patterns. Which one sounds most like you?
Golf Elbow / Tennis Elbow: Sharp, localised pain at the elbow, tender to press, worse with gripping, twisting or lifting.
Golf Elbow / Tennis Elbow: Dull, stiff ache in the elbow that feels cold or heavy, worse in cold or damp weather and eased by warmth.
Golf Elbow / Tennis Elbow: Dull, lingering ache and weakness in the elbow that has lasted months, worse when tired and after use.
Not sure which one fits? That’s normal – many people have a mix. At your first consultation we look at your tongue, take your pulse and ask detailed questions to confirm your pattern.
Your treatment plan follows your pattern – the same condition can need quite different treatment.
Local acupuncture and electro-acupuncture to move Qi and Blood and release the forearm muscles, sometimes with cupping. Recent strains often respond quickly, with many patients gripping more comfortably within a few sessions.
Acupuncture with moxibustion and electro-acupuncture to warm the elbow and dispel cold and damp. Many patients notice the elbow feels warmer and less stiff over the first few weeks.
Gentle acupuncture with moxibustion to nourish Qi and Blood and support tissue repair, sometimes with herbs. Progress is usually steady rather than fast, with strength returning over several weeks.
For tennis and golfer’s elbow, many patients notice easier gripping and less pain within the first 2–3 weeks, and recent strains can improve faster.
Most patients start to notice a change within the first two to three weeks of regular treatment.
Improvements become more consistent. If treatment stops as soon as you feel better, the body hasn’t settled yet and symptoms can slip back to where they started.
Continuing a little longer after you improve lets the new balance hold. Stopping at this point, symptoms are much less likely to return.
We space sessions out and finish. You won’t need to rely on treatment forever.
Every case is different: some conditions are stable within 1–2 months, longer-standing ones can take up to around 6 months. We’ll give you a realistic estimate at your first consultation.
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