How to Alleviate Tendonitis

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HomeArticlesCommunityMy Profile WH.translationData = {'es': {'msg':"\u00bfTe gustar\u00eda saber Como aliviar la tendinitis? \u00a1Lee acerca de eso en espa\u00f1ol!"},'it': {'msg':"Ti piacerebbe sapere Come Alleviare la Tendinite? Leggi come farlo, in italiano!"},'pt': {'msg':"Gostaria de aprender Como Aliviar a Tendinite? Leia sobre o assunto em portugu\u00eas!"}};WH.mergeLang({'navlist_collapse': '- collapse','navlist_expand': '+ expand'});EditHome » Categories » Health » Conditions and TreatmentsHow to Alleviate TendonitisEdited by Marly Bonilla, Maluniu, TJean, M.piccini and 3 others

Pin ItArticle EditDiscussTendonitis is an inflammation of the tendon, the tissue that connects muscle to bone.[1] Tendonitis occurs most commonly in the knee, foot, elbow and shoulder, and causes tenderness, pain and restricted movement. Some cases of tendonitis last only a few days, while others can lead to chronic pain. This article discusses alleviating tendonitis using home remedies, through physical therapy and, in extreme cases, by way of surgery.

Edit Steps

Treating Tendonitis Yourself1Determine whether you actually have tendonitis. If you have pain at the site of a tendon, whether gradual or sharp, you may have tendonitis.[2] The condition is usually caused by overexerting the tendon in question during physical activities, especially the following:

Tennis, which leads to " tennis elbow" - a form of tendonitisThrowing and pitching in softball or baseballGardening activities, like raking and shovelingRepetitive activities like painting, scrubbing or lifting2Halt the activity that may be causing tendonitis. Give yourself a rest from sports, gardening, or other physical activities that may put strain on the inflamed area.

Sometimes a few days' rest is all it takes to give the inflammation time to settle and go away. In other cases, you may have to wait weeks or even months before resuming the physical activity that led to tendonitis.If you try to resume an activity and find that it still leads to pain, rest for another several days or longer before trying again. Exerting the inflamed tendon too soon will prevent it from healing.3Apply ice to the area. Ice helps to reduce swelling and alleviate pain. Wrap a plastic bag full of ice cubes in a thin towel and apply it to the affected area several times a day.

Don't apply ice directly to the skin, as this can cause damage.Applying heat does not work as well to reduce inflammation. However, a warm bath might help relieve pain.4Use a sling or a brace. Sometimes supporting the inflamed area helps alleviate the pain and reduce inflammation.

If you have an inflamed elbow tendon, use an arm sling. This will also help to prevent you from overusing your arm while it has tendonitis.If you have an inflamed knee tendon, purchase a knee brace from a drugstore or health supply store. Be sure to wear it when you take long walks or climb large sets of stairs.Compress the area affected by tendinitis to reduce the swelling; this can help increase your range of motion. Wrap the area with an elastic bandage and elevate your problem body part to further reduce inflammation.5Use over-the-counter pain medicine. Ibuprofen is usually the best choice for reducing inflammation and temporarily relieving pain. Other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are also acceptable.

If the pain is too great to be affected by a mild over-the-counter painkiller, see your doctor for a stronger medication prescription.

Treating Tendonitis Using Intermediate Methods1Get injections. Injections are administered by a doctor. They help reduce swelling and offer longer-term pain relief than over-the-counter drugs, but they don't actually cure tendonitis. Be aware of the side effects before choosing to have one of these two injections:

Corticosteroid injections well for pain relief, but the medicine wears off after about six weeks. It's not advisable to have more than three corticosteroid injections a year.Local anesthetic injections are sometimes used in combination with corticosteroid injections for further pain relief.2Work with a physical therapist. A trained professional can help alleviate tendonitis by helping you with stretches, your posture, and teaching you special exercises. Working with a physical therapist has the potential to provide longer-term relief than taking injections.

In more severe cases a physical therapist might use ultrasound and lasers to reduce inflammation in your tendon.Massage is also a common technique used by therapists to treat tendonitis.

Treating Tendonitis Using Shock Therapy or Surgery1Try Electrocorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT). This is a rather experimental treatment that involves treating the affected area with local anesthesia and then using a machine to send shock waves through the skin to the tendon.

ESWT should only be considered if milder therapies were ineffective, since it still isn't clear whether ESWT is a good long-term solution for alleviating tendonitis.2Consider surgery. Your doctor may advise you that performing surgery on your inflamed tendon is the only way to heal it. This is only effective for the most extreme cases of tendonitis, since most cases eventually go away with proper treatment.

Surgery on tendonitis involves removing damaged portions of muscles, ligaments and nerves to reduce inflammation and decrease pain.For calcific tendonitis in the shoulder, which results in calcium deposits collecting in the area, arthroscopic surgery may be performed to remove them. This type of surgery requires only a tiny incision.

Preventing Future Bouts of Tendonitis1Return to daily activities or exercise slowly. Going back to a regular routine slowly will help you avoid injury but will also keep the problem area from becoming stiff due to lack of motion.

Always stretch before exercising.Stop if you experience pain.Gently massage the sensitive areas after exercising.2Avoid repetitive activities. Do a range of exercises rather than practicing the same ones over and over. Rather than repeating your tennis serve fifty times to get it just right, mix it up with other exercises in between. Leave tasks like painting and scrubbing to people who aren't sensitive to tendonitis.

3Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Being in tune with your body's needs can go a long way toward preventing tendon and muscle problems.

Making sure you get all essential nutrients, like vitamin D, which helps your body process calcium, will help you avoid future issues with tendonitis.Drink plenty of water to keep your body flushed of antioxidants.Be well rested before attempting to perform exercises or other physical activities.

Edit TipsLight exercise can help reduce stiffness associated with inactivity of the injured area.

Edit WarningsDo not apply ice directly to skin; use a cloth to protect against ice burns.Do not wrap the injured area too tightly; you may cut off circulation.Don't assume that soreness in your knee or elbow area is tendonitis. Before trying out remedies, visit your doctor and make sure that tendonitis is indeed your diagnosis.

Edit Things You'll NeedIce PackA sling or braceOver-the-counter Pain Medication

Edit Related wikiHowsHow to Fix Achilles TendonitisHow to Treat Patellar TendonitisHow to Assess Forearm TendonitisHow to Treat Tendonitis

Edit Sources and Citations? http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/arthritis-tendinitis? http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/arthritis-tendinitishttp://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tendinitis/DS00153/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugshttp://www.healthcentral.com/encyclopedia/408/128.htmlArticle Info Featured Article

Categories: Featured Articles | Conditions and Treatments

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