Healing Tendon Pain: How Acupuncture and Dry Needling Treat Tendon Pain
If you're dealing with persistent tendon pain, whether it's in your achilles, elbow, hamstring or shoulder, you know how frustrating and limiting it can be.
We see Tendinopathy (also known as tendinitis) all the time at West End Acupuncture.
While traditional treatments like rest and physical therapy are important, acupuncture and dry needling have emerged as powerful complementary therapies that can accelerate healing and provide lasting relief.
Understanding Tendinopathy
Tendinopathy occurs when tendons, the tough fibers connecting muscles to bones, become irritated or damaged. This often happens due to repetitive movements, fast and suden movements, like lunging for a pickleball shot or rapid uptick in physical activity, like January.
Common Tendinopathy conditions include:
Achilles tendonitis
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
Golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis)
Rotator cuff tendinitis
Patellar tendonintis
How Acupuncture Helps
Recent research has revealed several ways that acupuncture supports tendon healing:
Increased Blood Flow: Acupuncture stimulates microcirculation in and around the tendon, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to support healing.
Anti-inflammatory Effects: The treatment helps reduce inflammation naturally, easing pain and swelling.
Cellular Repair: Studies show acupuncture can promote cellular function and tissue repair in damaged tendons.
Pain Reduction: By influencing pain signaling pathways, acupuncture induces long-lasting pain relief.
Treatment Approaches
Our practice uses several evidence-based needling techniques for tendon problems:
Traditional Acupuncture Points
We target specific acupuncture points along the affected channels to regulate energy flow and promote natural healing. For example, when treating Achilles tendinopathy, we often use points along the Bladder and Kidney channels that have been used effectively for centuries.
Dry Needling
In some cases, we may carefully insert very thin needles directly next to or into the affected tendon. This technique, supported by recent clinical studies, can help:
Break up scar tissue
Stimulate healing mechanisms
Improve tendon flexibility and function
Electroacupuncture
Adding gentle electrical stimulation to the needles can enhance the treatment's effectiveness. This modern adaptation of traditional techniques has shown promising results in clinical cases.
What to Expect
During your first visit, we'll carefully evaluate your condition and develop a personalized treatment plan. Most patients receive treatments 1-2 times per week initially. Sessions typically last 30-45 minutes and are generally very relaxing. While some people experience immediate improvement, others may need several sessions to achieve optimal results.
For best results, acupuncture should be combined with:
Appropriate rest and activity modification
Targeted strengthening exercises
Proper biomechanics and movement patterns
Good nutrition to support tissue healing
Is It Right for You?
Acupuncture can be particularly beneficial if you:
Haven't responded well to conventional treatments
Want to avoid cortisone injections or surgery
Need to return to activity quickly
Are looking for a natural, drug-free treatment option
Getting Started
If you're struggling with tendon pain, we encourage you to get in touch to learn more about how acupuncture might help your specific condition. Most patients find it to be a gentle, effective treatment option that integrates well with other therapies.