A Case Study of 13 Patients with Lateral Epicondylitis of Elbow Using Deep Thermo-conductive Acupuncture Therapy

Objectives : The Purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of the deep thermo-conductive acupuncture therapy for the patients with lateral epicondylitis of the elbow. Methods : Thirteen patients with lateral epicondylitis were included from April 2011 to December 2012 and all the patients were treated with the deep thermo-conductive acupuncture therapy. Then we checked visual analog scale(VAS) scores of the patients at every hospital visit, and compared the differences for before and after treatment. We also divided them into 3 age groups(in 40s, 50s, 60s) and 4 groups of the duration of illness(~ 1 week, ~ 1month, ~ 6 months, 6 months ~), and compared the effects for 3 age groups as well as 4 groups of duration of illness. Results : 1. VAS scores had been changed significantly from 6.0769±1.5390 to 3.3077± 1.9207(p=0.005). 2. No significant differences were found between 3 age groups(p=0.968) as well as 4 groups of the duration of illness(p=0.724). Conclusions : This study suggests that deep thermo-conductive acupuncture therapy is effective for healing of the lateral epicondylitis of elbow. But the age and the duration of illness seem to have no influence on results.