EPICONDYLITIS

EPICONDYLITIS (TENNIS ELBOW)

Epicondylitis or tennis elbow is a painful disease that develops when the tendons in your elbow joints are overused, typically the result of constant arm and wrist movement.

Athletes aren’t the only ones who get tennis elbow, regardless of its name. Painters, plumbers, butchers, and carpenters are among those whose work requires repetitive motions that might develop to tennis elbow.

Moreover, tennis elbow is a condition in which the tendons of your forearm muscles adhere to a bony lump from the outside of your elbow, causing pain. It’s possible that the pain will extend to your wrist and forearm.

It is commonly treated with rest and over-the-counter pain medications. If non-surgical treatments don’t work or if your symptoms are debilitating, your doctor may recommend surgery.

SYMPTOMS

Epicondylitis (tennis elbow) can cause pain and discomfort that spreads from the outside of your elbow to your forearm and wrist. The weakness and pain can make it hard to:

  • Shake your hands or take a grasp of something
  • Turn the knob
  • Get a cup of coffee or water

If self-care measures like ice, rest, and over-the-counter pain medicines don’t alleviate your elbow pain and soreness, see your doctor.

DIAGNOSIS

To diagnose epicondylitis, your doctor may exert force to the affected spot or advise you to bend and twist your elbow, fingers, and wrist in different ways.

In many instances, your doctor will be able to diagnose tennis elbow based on your medical history and physical exam alone. However, if your doctor feels that anything else is causing your pain and discomfort, X-rays and other imaging tests may be recommended.

 TREATMENT

Tennis elbow usually improves on its own. If over-the-counter pain relievers and other self-care techniques don’t work, your doctor might recommend physical therapy. For serious cases, the tennis elbow might need surgery.

Moreover, other treatments for epicondylitis are:

Therapy

If your symptoms are associated with tennis, your doctor may recommend tennis techniques or the motions involved in your job activities in order to determine the best ways to relieve stress on your injured tissue.

A therapist can also give you workouts to stretch and improve your muscles, particularly your forearm muscles.

Surgical or other methods

  • TENEX procedure
  • Injections
  • Surgery

 

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