This content has been prepared in compliance with relevant laws including the Medical Practice Act.

Did you visit a hospital because the outer side of your elbow was throbbing, only to receive a diagnosis of "tennis elbow"? If you've never played tennis before, this name must have felt unfamiliar to you. This article explains in an easy-to-understand order for those newly diagnosed with this condition: why lateral epicondylitis develops, what symptoms appear, and how Korean medicine approaches it.

Core Summary for Those Who Didn't Know What Tennis Elbow Was

Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a condition where pain develops as microscopic damage to the tendons on the outer side of the elbow accumulates through repetitive use. Although the name includes "tennis," suggesting it's an athlete's condition, in reality it is nothing of the sort.

According to relevant data, lateral epicondylitis is one of the most common causes of elbow pain, with a prevalence rate in the general population estimated at approximately 1-3%. It primarily appears in people aged 30-50, with similar ratios between men and women. It can develop in anyone with a lifestyle pattern involving frequent wrist use—office workers who do extended computer work, those who cook repeatedly, workers in woodworking or assembly occupations, housewives with significant household labor, and many others.

The problem is that many cases go untreated with the assumption that "it will get better with some rest." Without appropriate treatment, microscopic damage to the tendon gradually accumulates, and if not addressed early, it can lead to chronicity, making early detection important.

💡 Mini Q&A Q. On which part of the elbow does tennis elbow develop? Damage occurs to the tendon attached to the lateral epicondyle—the protruding bone on the outer side when the elbow is bent. If that area is painful when pressed with a finger, lateral epicondylitis can be suspected.

These Symptoms Indicate Tennis Elbow — Understanding Causes and Progression Stages

Symptoms of tennis elbow initially appear only during specific movements, but when left untreated, they gradually spread throughout daily life. Check your current condition using the checklist below.

▪ Clear pain when pressing the outer bone area of the elbow with a finger ▪ A feeling of weakness in the outer elbow when picking up or lifting objects ▪ Inconvenience with movements requiring wrist strength, such as wringing towels, turning doorknobs, and opening bottle caps ▪ Pulling or aching sensation on the outer elbow when holding cups or bags ▪ A heavy, uncomfortable feeling on the outer elbow even during rest ▪ A sense that pain has spread to the wrist or shoulder area at some point

If two or more of the above items apply to you, there is a possibility that your symptoms match those of lateral epicondylitis.

Recent research has revealed that this condition is more similar to degenerative tendinopathy than simple inflammation. When repetitive stress is applied to the tendon, neovascularization and collagen degeneration occur, and this process is the primary cause of pain. In other words, simply reducing "inflammation" alone may not lead to a fundamental solution.

In the early stages, pain appears only when using the arm, so many people do not feel significantly inconvenienced during daily life. However, according to clinical data, when left untreated, the pain tends to expand to the neck and shoulders, and once it reaches this stage, treatment duration becomes considerably longer. Now, when symptoms feel mild, is actually the most appropriate time to address this.

How Gangbuk Anjeong Korean Medicine Clinic Approaches Elbow Tendon Damage

The core problem of lateral epicondylitis is recovery of the damaged tendon tissue and pain management. Korean medicine can approach both of these aspects in a comprehensive manner.

First, bee-venom acupuncture utilizes approximately 40 biochemical components contained in bee venom for powerful anti-inflammatory action along with immune function regulation and blood circulation improvement. A Buddhist Broadcasting System news report also introduced these multi-faceted actions of bee-venom acupuncture.

Acupuncture treatment stimulates tender points around the lateral epicondyle and acupoints such as Quchi (曲池) and Shousanli (手三里) to improve local blood flow and help regulate pain signals. Materials from Han Yi Times explain that such acupoint utilization is clinically applied to pain relief in lateral epicondylitis.

Herbal medicine treatment is formulated differently depending on the patient's condition. In cases where blood stasis has accumulated through repeated use, the approach is to promote qi and blood circulation; in chronically affected middle-aged and elderly patients, the approach is to tonify the liver and kidneys and enhance the recovery capacity of muscles and bones.

Gangbuk Anjeong Korean Medicine Clinic provides high-concentration bee-venom acupuncture and acupuncture treatment that do not contain steroid components, and adjusts herbal medicine prescriptions carefully on a weekly basis according to changes in patient symptoms. Rather than long-term prescriptions, by checking the condition each week and reflecting it in the treatment plan, stepwise treatment tailored to the tendon recovery process becomes possible.

Right Now—Is My Elbow Pain at a Stage Where Treatment Should Be Prioritized?

Not all elbow pain requires immediate intensive treatment. However, if you fall under the following categories, it is time to consider active treatment.

▪ After sufficient rest for several days, the pain has not subsided ▪ Discomfort is spreading not only to the elbow but also to the wrist and shoulder ▪ Similar pain has persisted for more than six months ▪ Daily movements at work or at home are becoming increasingly difficult to perform ▪ Pain has caused discomfort during sleep

According to a report from Health Kyunghyang, an orthopedic specialist at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital explained that "approximately 90% of patients experience symptom improvement within one year, but natural recovery is difficult when pain has progressed to the point of causing inconvenience in daily living." Additionally, it is important to note that repeated steroid local injections and premature return to activity can actually promote chronicity of the lesion.

Ultimately, beginning appropriate treatment at a time when pain is mild, while identifying the movements causing it, is favorable for recovery.

Elbow pain in the Suyu area, Lateral epicondylitis in Gangbuk-gu, Dobong elbow Korean medicine clinic—people in nearby areas struggling with similar symptoms can also visit from a nearby distance.

When Your Elbow First Sends a Signal Is the Most Critical Time

Tennis elbow is a condition where both treatment duration and burden decrease the earlier it is addressed. According to materials from Rapportian, even with treatment, if the repetitive movements that caused the problem continue unchanged, the tendon does not have adequate time to recover, and the likelihood of symptoms becoming chronic increases. In other words, adjusting daily movement habits must occur together with the timing of beginning treatment.

Gangbuk Anjeong Korean Medicine Clinic begins consultations from 8 a.m. on 365 days near Exit 3 of Suyu Station. If the pain on the outer side of your elbow has not subsided for several days, it is recommended that you make a first consultation appointment without hesitation through Naver Reservation.

The clinic opens at the same time in the early morning before work, on weekends, and on holidays. You can use a large free parking lot within Garden Tower (328 Dobong-ro) for convenient vehicle access. Please do not overlook the first signal from your elbow, and it is recommended that you check this out while symptoms are still mild.

Tennis Elbow — Frequently Asked Questions from Those Newly Diagnosed

Q1. Why do I have tennis elbow if I don't play tennis?

The name "tennis elbow" was given because it was first discovered frequently in tennis players. In reality, it can develop from all activities involving repetitive wrist use—office workers with extensive computer work, those who frequently cook and do household chores, workers in woodworking or assembly occupations, and many other occupational and lifestyle patterns. You can develop this condition even if you have no tennis experience whatsoever.

Q2. Won't it get better on its own if I just endure it?

Approximately 90% of all patients experience symptom improvement within one year. However, when pain has progressed to a level that makes daily movements inconvenient, natural recovery may become difficult. Additionally, if you continue the causative movement and simply rest without allowing the tendon adequate time to recover, chronicity may result. Having the condition checked while symptoms are still mild is ultimately more favorable.

Q3. How does Korean medicine treatment work for tennis elbow?

In Korean medicine, bee-venom acupuncture helps with anti-inflammation and blood circulation improvement, and acupuncture stimulates acupoints around the elbow to regulate local blood flow and pain signals. Combined with herbal medicine to assist in blood stasis removal or bone and muscle recovery, a comprehensive treatment approach becomes possible. Since it is structured to support tendon tissue recovery without steroid components, you can worry less about tolerance from repeated procedures.

⚠️ The possibility of procedural side effects may vary depending on individual skin conditions.