Description

Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is a condition that can be the result of overuse of the muscles and tendons in the elbow. Tennis elbow is often linked to the repetitive movements of the wrist and the arm.

Despite its name, most people who get tennis elbow don't play tennis. Some people have jobs that involve repetitive motions that can lead to tennis elbow. These include plumbers, painters, carpenters and butchers. Often, however, the elbow does not have a clear cause.

The pain of tennis elbow occurs primarily in difficult cases, cord-like tissues of the forearm muscles attach to a bony bump on the outer side of the elbow. The tissues are known as tendons. The pain may spread to the forearm and the wrist.

Rest, pain medications, physical therapy, and often help to relieve tennis elbow. People for whom these treatments don't help or you have symptoms that get in the way of daily life could have a procedure, as in a photograph, or surgery.

Symptoms

The pain of tennis elbow can travel from the outer part of the elbow, forearm and wrist. The pain and weakness can make it difficult to:

  • Shake hands or grip an object.
  • Turn the knob of a door.
  • Holding a cup of coffee.

When to see a doctor

Talk with a health care provider if self-care measures, such as rest, ice and pain medicine doesn't relieve your elbow pain and tenderness.

Causes

Tennis elbow is often linked to overuse and muscle strain. But the cause is not well understood. Sometimes, repeats the tension of the muscles of the forearm that are used to straighten and raise your hand and the wrist is triggering your symptoms. This can cause a rupture of the tendon fibers that connect the forearm muscles to the bony bump on the outer side of the elbow.

The activities that can cause tennis elbow symptoms include:

  • Game of racket sports, especially the use of setback, with the lack of form.
  • The use of plumbing tools.
  • Of the painting.
  • Driving the screws.
  • Cut the food to cook, especially meat.
  • The use of a computer mouse a lot.

Less often, an injury, or a disease that affects the body's connective tissue that leads to tennis elbow. Often, the cause is not known.

Risk factors

Factors that may increase the risk of tennis elbow are:

  • Age. Tennis elbow affects people of all ages. But it is more common in adults between the ages of 30 and 60.
  • Work. People who have jobs that involve repetitive movements of the wrist and the arm are more likely to develop tennis elbow. These include plumbers, painters, carpenters, butchers, and cooks.
  • In certain sports. Game of racket sports increases the risk of tennis elbow. Not having a good shape, or the use of your lack of equipment increases the risk even more. Play more than two hours per day, it also increases the risk.

Other factors that may increase the risk, such as smoking, obesity, and certain medications.

Diagnosis

Often, the medical history and examination are sufficient to diagnose tennis elbow. During the physical exam, a health care provider could press on the affected area or ask you to move your elbow, wrist and fingers in various ways.

The X-ray, ultrasound, or other types of imaging tests may be necessary if a care provider suspects that something else could be causing the symptoms.

Treatment

Tennis elbow often gets better on its own. But if the pain medications and other self-care measures are not helping, physical therapy may be the next step. A procedure, as in a photograph or surgery, it may help to tennis elbow, which does not improve with other treatments.

Therapy

If the symptoms are related to tennis or work tasks, an expert could look at how to play tennis, or do the job tasks or check your equipment. This is to find the best ways to reduce stress on the injured tissue.

Physical, occupational, or hand therapist can teach you exercises to strengthen the muscles and tendons in the forearm. A forearm strap or support could reduce the stress on the injured tissue.

Surgical or other procedures

  • The shots.Different types of planes in the affected tendon is used to treat tennis elbow. Include corticosteroids and platelet-rich plasma. Less commonly used are the botulinum toxin (Botox) or an irritant solution, either fresh water or salt water, known as prolotherapy. Dry needling, in which a needle gently through the tendon damaged in many places, it can also be useful.
  • The needle of the fenestration. This procedure uses ultrasound to guide a needle through a numb tendon again and again. This starts a new process of healing of the tendon.
  • Ultrasonic tenotomy, called TENEX procedure. Similar to the needle of the fenestration, this procedure uses ultrasound to guide a needle through the skin and into the damaged part of the tendon. The ultrasonic energy to vibrate the needle so fast that the damaged tissue becomes liquid. Then, you can be suctioned.
  • Extracorporeal shock wave therapy. This treatment involves sending shock waves to the injured tissue to relieve pain and help the tissue heal. A tool that is placed on the skin provides the shock waves.
  • Surgery.For symptoms that have not improved after 6 to 12 months of other treatments, surgery to remove the damaged tissue could be an option. The surgery can be open, which utilizes a large court, known as an incision. Or can it be done through small openings, known as arthroscopic. Whatever the treatment, exercises to rebuild strength and regain the use of the elbow are vital for recovery.

The shots. Different types of planes in the affected tendon is used to treat tennis elbow. Include corticosteroids and platelet-rich plasma. Less commonly used are the botulinum toxin (Botox) or an irritant solution, either fresh water or salt water, known as prolotherapy.

Dry needling, in which a needle gently through the tendon damaged in many places, it can also be useful.

Surgery. For symptoms that have not improved after 6 to 12 months of other treatments, surgery to remove the damaged tissue could be an option. The surgery can be open, which utilizes a large court, known as an incision. Or can it be done through small openings, known as arthroscopic.

Whatever the treatment, exercises to rebuild strength and regain the use of the elbow are vital for recovery.

Lifestyle and home remedies

The following self-care steps may relieve tennis elbow:

  • Rest. Do not do activities that aggravate the pain in the elbow.
  • Pain relievers. Try pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve).
  • Of ice. Apply ice or a cold pack for 15 minutes, 3 to 4 times a day.

Preparing for your appointment

It is likely to start by seeing your health care provider. You could go to a sports medicine specialist or an orthopedic surgeon.

What you can do

Before your appointment, you may want to have answers to these questions:

  • When did your symptoms begin?
  • Any movement or activity make the pain better or worse?
  • Have you recently suffered injuries in the elbow?
  • What medications or supplements you take?

What to expect from your doctor

Your health care provider can ask some of the following questions:

  • Do you have rheumatoid arthritis or diseases of the nerves?
  • Does your work involve repetitive motions of the wrist or the arm?
  • Do you practice any sport? If so, what types of sports you play? Have your way has never been assessed?
Symptoms and treatment of tennis elbow