Master Tung‘s Points Treatment: Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)

Lateral epicondylitis, commonly known as tennis elbow, is a chronic painful condition caused by long-term, repetitive traction and overuse at the origin of the forearm wrist and finger extensor muscle group on the lateral epicondyle of the humerus. From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, it falls within the categories of tendon impediment and tendon injury. The core pathology is sustained local strain leading to poor movement of Qi and Blood, with stagnation and obstruction of the channels and collaterals. When flow is obstructed, pain arises. At the same time, the tendons and muscles lose proper nourishment, becoming stiff, tight, and prone to spasm.

Master Tung‘s Points form a distinctive acupuncture system founded by Master Tung Jingchang. In treating tennis elbow, this approach emphasises principles such as like-nature seeking like, somatic response needling, and holographic correspondence. It highlights combining distal point selection with local treatment and often achieves clear clinical benefits.

Treatment Prescriptions

Prescription 1

Unaffected side: Quchi (LI11), needled close to the bone

Affected side: Linggu (T 22.05, 灵骨)

Dr Yang Weijie notes in his writings that this point pairing has a strong ability to regulate and supplement Qi and to warm yang, and is especially effective for pain conditions of the upper limb. The painful area in tennis elbow lies along the pathway of the Hand Yangming channel. Selecting Quchi (LI11) on the unaffected side using a close-to-the-bone technique, together with Linggu (T 22.05, 灵骨) on the affected side, aligns with the idea that the channels treat the regions they traverse, and with Tung’s dynamic Qi needling method.

Prescription 2

Unaffected side: Dubi (ST35), Cesanli (T 77.2, 侧三里), Cexiasanli (T 77.23, 侧下三里)

Affected side: Sanjian (LI3)

These points are located on the lateral aspect of the lower leg and are chosen for their correspondence. This prescription embodies the higher-level holographic correspondence concept used in Tung’s Points. The body is viewed as an integrated whole, and the lower leg can correspond to the arm. By stimulating the lower-leg correspondence region, it is possible to regulate the balance of Qi and Blood at the elbow from a distance, making this approach suitable for a range of elbow joint conditions.

Master Tung‘s Points are selected based on principles such as holography, correspondence, and specific interconnections between the Zang-fu and the channels. The method stresses whole-body regulation and distal adjustment, harmonising Qi and Blood through upper–lower correspondence, and avoiding the risk that purely local stimulation may aggravate symptoms. Before treatment, the patient should receive a clear diagnosis and be treated by a qualified acupuncture practitioner to ensure safety and effectiveness.