The human body has numerous joints and tendons working together to provide various forms of movement. The elbow joint falls into this category. The elbow joint connects the upper arm to the forearm. When the area around the joint becomes irritated, sore, and swollen, tennis elbow may be the cause. Tennis elbow – or lateral epicondylitis – is a painful condition affecting the tendons around the joint due to repetitive use.
Treatment for Tennis Elbow
The primary cause of tennis elbow is due to repetitive use. Developing over time, the condition can create stress on the muscles in the arm, which will put too much pressure on the tendons. Ripping the area tissue in the form of tiny microscopic tears, the condition causes pain with the smallest amount of movement.
As the name suggests, the condition does affect tennis players due to the gripping of the racquet and continuous movement of the elbow during a match. Tennis elbow also inflicts other athletes and non-athletic people using their arm repetitively.
- Racquetball and squash players
- Fencing
- Weightlifters or those who continuously train with weights
- Carpenters who use tools in a repetitive motion
- Typist and computer users
- Other activities include knitting and raking leaves
Symptoms
In most cases, an individual does not experience an injury to create tennis elbow. The condition just slowly progresses over time. As with most conditions inflicting the human body, the first indicator is usually pain affecting the outer part of the elbow area.
- Burning sensation in the elbow area
- An overall feeling of weakness in the arm
- Difficulty gripping or lifting objects
- Soreness or tenderness in the outer part of the elbow area
- Stiffness and ache within the joint area
When symptoms become present in every day activity, seeking an accurate diagnosis should become a priority especially when daily routines are interrupted. In most cases, medical insurance will cover the consultation, testing and implementing of a treatment for tennis elbow plan.
Treatments
Treatment for tennis elbow may begin with simple home care. The approach has minimal costs and may help reduce the symptoms of the condition.
- Resting by minimizing use of the elbow will help prevent the injury from progressing further and reduce the amount of pain.
- Ice the area for twenty minutes every 3-4 hours or as directed by the health care professional.
- Over the counter pain relievers to help reduce the symptoms.
- Physical therapy may be utilized to help increase flexibility and return strength to the injured region.
When all other treatment for tennis elbow fails, arthroscopic surgery may be recommended as a last resort. When surgery is necessary, medical insurance will cover the cost of surgery less copays and deductibles. Arthroscopic surgery involves making a small incision in the injured area to fix the tendon. Physical therapy is recommended for complete rehabilitation post-surgery.
Experienced Treatment for Tennis Elbow
Experience speaks volumes on the quality of care given by any orthopedic specialist. Accepting PPO and working with other insurance companies, Dr. Marans provides quality services without creating a financial burden because he accepts PPOs and works with a vast array of insurance companies.
Please click below to schedule your consultation at OC Orthopedic+ by entering your information online – or – call us at 714.979.8981.