Suffering from Tennis Elbow? We Can Help with That!
Wear and tear on the body isn’t always caused by old age. In many pain management cases, the cause of the pain can come from overuse of a joint, tendon, or specific body part. Often, it can be an accidental injury that cannot be relieved through rest and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications.
Take tennis elbow, for example. Officially known as Lateral Epicondylitis, tennis elbow is a type of tendinitis, or a swelling of the tendons. It is more than just a sports injury, despite its sporty name. It can come from hobbies and careers as well, such as carpentry, typing, painting, or knitting, just to name a few.
The overuse of the same tendons and muscles can cause pain in the elbow joint and the rest of the arm. The medical professionals at Northeast Knee & Joint Institute can help.
What is Tennis Elbow?
It occurs through overuse of the elbow joint and tendons through repetitive activities that use your hand’s grip. This is when you primarily use the thumb and first two fingers, which can directly impact the tendons involving the elbow. Although it commonly occurs in individuals around the age of 40, it can affect anyone at any age.
When it comes to a condition like tennis elbow, pain can radiate through the lower and upper arm, causing tenderness and generalized discomfort even through small movements of the hand. It is easy to forget just how connected our bodies are, so damage to your elbow can be aggravated by simply moving your hand.
Simple tasks like picking up your cell phone can become painful, which means that daily necessities like driving your car or holding your baby can become excruciating.
Causes of Tennis Elbow
Despite its name, tennis elbow doesn’t only affect tennis players. Here are some common causes:
- Overuse: Repetitive motion and overuse of the forearm muscles can lead to small tears in the tendons that attach to the lateral epicondyle, causing pain and inflammation.
- Repetitive Activities: Activities that involve repetitive wrist and arm motions, such as painting, typing, or using tools, can contribute to the development of tennis elbow.
- Improper Technique: In sports like tennis, using improper techniques or equipment can increase stress on the elbow, leading to injury.
- Age: It’s more common in adults between the ages of 30 and 50, possibly due to cumulative wear and tear on the tendons.
- Occupation: Jobs that involve repetitive arm movements, such as carpentry or plumbing, can increase the risk of developing tennis elbow.
Understanding these causes can help in both preventing and managing the condition effectively.
Is There a Tennis Elbow Treatment?
Luckily, different tennis elbow treatments are available. When dealing with damage or strain on tendons, most doctors advise putting ice on the area for 20-30 minutes every three to five hours for up to three days from the time that the pain begins, resting the elbow and arm, and taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) medications like aspirin, naproxen or ibuprofen to ease swelling and inflammation. Additionally, they may suggest the range of motion exercises a physical therapist will directly recommend.
Occasionally, the pain can progress from mild to severe. Your doctor may recommend painkillers for relief. Sometimes, they may prescribe injections of steroids, which are reported to typically only have short-term benefits. In a worst-case scenario, surgery may even be necessary.
However, there are other ways to ensure tennis elbow relief. One well-known alternative is platelet-rich plasma therapy. This tennis elbow therapy involves injecting plasma straight from your blood. The platelet-rich plasma can assist in repairing the cells and aid in speeding the healing process.
With a combination of PRP therapy and physical therapy, you can quicken the healing process even more.
Northeast Knee and Joint Institute Can Help With Your Elbow Injury
Our staff has the knowledge and experience to help various pain conditions and symptoms like tennis elbow in our offices in Williamsport, PA. Along with the guidance and leadership of Edwin Roman, M.D., we can help you recover from the pain and discomfort that comes with conditions like this, along with many others. Even if you don’t have tennis elbow, we can help you avoid and/or treat the causes of tennis elbow.
Our offices utilize physical therapy, knee braces, and additional alternatives like hyaluronic acid injections, platelet-rich plasma injections, and stem cells as well to help encourage your body to heal properly.
If you are looking for tennis elbow treatment, we can help. Whether you are suffering from tendonitis or any other joint or muscle pain, contact us to schedule a free consultation today.