If you’re an athlete or regular gym-goer, biceps tendonitis is one of those injuries you really want to avoid. This inflammatory condition occurs when the biceps tendon which attaches the biceps muscle to the bones in the shoulder, becomes inflamed and irritated.
Biceps tendonitis causes severe pain in the front of the shoulder that worsens when you try to lift your arm overhead or rotate it. If left untreated, biceps tendonitis can make even basic daily activities difficult, but the good news is that acupuncture can help provide relief.
Acupuncture reduces pain and inflammation in the biceps tendon to promote healing, while triggering the release of natural painkillers and reducing muscle tension.
What causes biceps tendonitis?
The biceps muscle plays a key role in bending the elbow and rotating the forearm. It also helps stabilize the shoulder joint. Repetitive overhead motions, like when you go swimming, do weight lifting, throw a baseball, or paint ceilings can put a lot of strain on the biceps tendon over time. This overuse leads to tiny muscle tears forming in the tendon which causes pain and inflammation. Lifting too much weight before the biceps are properly warmed up can also result in a sudden acute tear or rupture of the tendon.
In addition to shoulder and arm pain, biceps tendonitis can cause swelling, tenderness, and reduced range of motion in the shoulder. If you have biceps tendonitis you may also hear crackling or popping sounds when moving the shoulder. Many people also experience weakness and aching pain that travels down into the biceps muscle itself.
Other factors that increase the risk of developing biceps tendonitis include:
- Older age: As tendons get older they become less flexible
- Inconsistent training: Failing to rest adequately between intense workouts
- Bad form: When lifting weights or performing certain moves using incorrect methods
- Muscular imbalances: When surrounding muscles are weaker than the bicep
- Prior injuries: Some areas that have not fully recovered
Acupuncture reduces inflammation
When treating any kind of tendonitis or injury, reducing inflammation is a key priority. With the magic of inserting thin needles into pressure points, acupuncture helps improve circulation to the injured area. The increased blood flow flushes out inflammatory substances from areas where blood circulation is low or gets stuck while bringing in fresh nutrients and healing compounds.
This takes down swelling and relieves the pain caused by inflammation pressing on the tendon and surrounding nerves. Reducing inflammation is crucial because inflammation is what allows the damage and micro-tearing in the tendon to continue occurring.
Acupuncture releases muscle tension
Acupuncture doesn’t just work directly on the inflamed tendon – it also helps relax the surrounding muscles that connect to the biceps and shoulder. The biceps tendon attaches to the shoulder joint capsule and the pain of tendonitis often causes these muscles to become tense, knotted up, and go into spasm when left untreated.
Acupuncture releases this muscle tension, restoring better mobility and reducing compensation injuries to other areas of the body. As the muscles relax, this allows the tendon to rest and heal properly.
Acupuncture relieves pain
Acupuncture is fantastic at stimulating the body’s release of natural painkillers like endorphins (neurotransmitters). These neurotransmitters attach to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord, blocking pain signals from reaching the brain. The pain-relieving effects of endorphins allow the tendon to rest and heal while the acupuncture treatments address the source of inflammation.
Acupuncture is also known to improve sleep and reduce stress. This plays a role in pain reduction, as lack of sleep and high stress levels can intensify the pain.
Acupuncture improves the range of motion
With reduced inflammation, muscle tension, and pain, acupuncture helps restore a better range of motion to the shoulder and arm. This is vital for recovering strength and function. The tendon becomes less restricted and exercise becomes easier as the healing process continues.
Acupuncture treatments can be combined with targeted stretches and exercises to continually improve mobility as the biceps tendon heals. Maintaining some gentle movement is important to prevent further stiffness and regain full flexibility.
Acupuncture can speed up healing
The improved circulation from acupuncture stimulated the body’s natural healing mechanism, bringing healing nutrients and compounds to the damaged tendon to facilitate repair. This allows the tendon to heal more quickly, compared to just resting and applying ice on it.
Acupuncture helps to prevent scar tissue formation & enhances tissue regeneration
When microtears in a tendon attempt to heal, they can often form adhesions or scar tissue that limits the mobility of the tendon. Acupuncture helps prevent this by increasing circulation, breaking up areas of stagnation, and restoring the full range of motion.
Acupuncture has also been shown to stimulate collagen regeneration, a key component of tendons. Restoring healthy collagen levels improves the strength and flexibility of the healing tendon tissue.
Acupuncture can boost your immune system
A heightened immune system response helps remove inflammation and facilitates healing. As acupuncture has an immune-boosting effect, it allows your body to recover from injuries more effectively.
Incorporating acupuncture into your daily regime
For the best results with biceps tendonitis, we recommend combining acupuncture with other therapies as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program.
Acupuncture & rest
In the early stages when the tendon is very inflamed and painful, acupuncture helps reduce this inflammation and pain to make resting the arm more comfortable. Resting is crucial to prevent further damage.
Acupuncture & therapeutic exercise
As healing progresses, specific biceps tendonitis exercises and stretches can be added to regain strength and range of motion. Acupuncture enhances the effectiveness of these exercises.
Acupuncture & soft tissue therapy
Manual therapies like massage, instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, and dry needling can help break up adhesions and scar tissue in the biceps tendon. Acupuncture works synergistically with these hands-on techniques.
Acupuncture & anti-inflammatory aids
Topical treatments like Traumeel, ice therapy, and over-the-counter medications can be used along with acupuncture in the initial stages to manage pain and inflammation when it is most severe.
Acupuncture & corrective exercises
Once adequate healing has occurred, corrective exercise can identify and address any muscle imbalances, faulty movement patterns, or weaknesses that may have contributed to the development of biceps tendonitis in the first place.
Book your appointment today
Don’t let biceps tendonitis keep you sidelined. By incorporating acupuncture into your recovery plan, get ready to experience its powerful pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory benefits. Relief is closer than you think!
Get in touch with our office today to schedule your first appointment. Our experienced practitioners at Lycoming Orthopedic & Sports Acupuncture will develop a customized acupuncture treatment strategy to get you back in the game as quickly as possible.
