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Tennis Elbow

Pain in the elbow might erupt due to excess stress giving activities imparted to muscles of the fore arm and the arm. Tennis elbow is a generic term and is not related to tennis. Tendons and muscles that attach the fore arm with the outsides of elbow getting damaged results in tennis elbow and medically it is termed as lateral epicondylitis.

Causes:

  • Over usage of the part either in sports that involves activity that imparts stress to elbows or regular activity of the same dimension.
  • Aging is also known to contribute for tennis elbow.

Symptoms:

  • Increasing pain in the outsides of the elbow.
  • Sudden development of pain.
  • Pain emanating even while normal activities like hand shaking and squeezing actions.
  • Pain generated during wrist actions like twisting, lifting even weightless objects etc.

Diagnosis:

The way you express the beginning of pain, the history of it and the way it spreads through the region are the main consideration whole diagnosing the condition. You might be asked by the doctor to stretch the arms, hold something tightly and lift some objects with varying weights and you will be asked to explain the way you feel.
Apart from this the doctor might order for X-Ray tests and MRI to determine if the pain is not due to other causes.

Non-Surgical Treatment:

Providing rest to give comfort to the region is initially suggested. Anti-inflammatory medicines without the composition of steroids, steroid injections as suggested by the doctor and physical therapy form the main treatment course. Braces also could be used to release and relax the muscles to reduce pain created by tennis elbow. Therapy using extracorporeal shock waves also is given in some cases.

Surgical Treatment:

  • Open Surgery: An incision is made over the elbow portion and the damaged portion is repaired
  • Arthroscopic Surgery: This involves small and special instruments with very minimum incisions.