Acupuncture For De Quervain's

Acupuncture is needle-based therapy that uses the principles of traditional Chinese medicine to treat a variety of ailments. The needles are placed on points along the body to elicit a specific reaction. The points are located along lines that run along the body — referred to as meridians. For De Quervain's tendinitis, needles would be placed on the wrist as well as other areas of the body to stimulate blood and qi flow and relax and nourish the tendons. If you have De Quervain's tendinitis, speak to your doctor to determine what the best course of treatment is for you.

De Quervain's Tendinitis

De Quervain's tendinitis is characterized by pain or difficulty moving your thumb caused by swelling or irritation of the tendons on the wrist or the base of the thumb. It is caused most often by repetitive movement of the tendons, but it can also be seen in pregnancy and cases of inflammatory arthritis. Middle-aged women are the most frequent sufferers of De Quervain's tendinitis, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

TCM Theory

De Quervain's falls under the category of tendon bi — pronounced bee — syndrome, according to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM. In general, bi syndromes are characterized by stagnation of blood and qi in the meridians due to the invasion of the pathogenic factors of heat, damp or wind. Qi — pronounced chee — is the subtle energy that flows through the body, according to TCM theory. Tendon bi is defined as soreness, stiffness and pain of the tendons and muscles, according to "Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion."

Acupunture Points

The tendons are closely associated with the liver in TCM theory, as the liver is responsible for nourishing the tendons with blood and qi. If you are having problems with your tendons, points on the liver meridian and its paired organ meridian, the gallbladder, would be needled. The liver and gallbladder points used for tendon bi are usually located on the leg and feet. In addition, local points on the hand, base of the thumb and wrist would also be used.

Effectiveness

The National Institutes of Health reported in 1997 that acupuncture might be effective in treating tennis elbow — an inflammation of the tendons in the inner elbow. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that acupuncture may provide more effective relief than placebo, both in cases of tennis elbow and other forms of tendinitis. A method created by Dr. Richard Tan, known as the Balance Method, is known for treating specific types of musculoskeletal pain, including De Quervain's tendinitis.

Considerations

If your doctor agrees that acupuncture is an appropriate treatment for your De Quervain's tendinitis, contact a licensed or certified practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine. A qualified TCM practitioner can perform acupuncture safely and effectively. Your practitioner might also treat you using cupping, massage and moxibustion — a treatment modality that entails the use of heated, dried herbs to stimulate the acupuncture points. The moxibustion herbs are not placed directly on the skin, however. In addition, herbal formulas might also be prescribed, although it is best to refrain from consuming herbs if you are taking any other medication.