Chronic tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, can be a debilitating condition for those who suffer from it. This repetitive strain injury affects the tendons in the elbow, causing pain and discomfort that can persist for months or even years. While rest and over-the-counter pain relief may help temporarily, managing chronic pain often requires more comprehensive and long-term treatment strategies. Several treatments for Massage for tennis Elbow have proven to be effective in alleviating the discomfort and improving functionality in those affected by this condition.
Tennis Elbow Physical Therapy Relief
Physical therapy is the perfect treatment for chronic tennis elbow. A qualified therapist may recommend specific exercises to empower the forearm muscles and tendons involved, thus relieving you of pain and disallowing re-injury.
Stretching and Strengthening Exercises
Regular exercise to stretch and strengthen muscles can help improve flexibility and reduce the mechanical tension laid on tendons. Most of the exercises involve strengthening the extensor muscles of the forearm because this is the area primarily described as the source of pain for tennis elbow. Strength in these muscles supports the joint and reduces the stress on the elbow.
Manual Therapy
In addition to exercises, the manual therapy-which involves massage and joint mobilization-may also be beneficial. The soft tissue techniques applied by a physiotherapist improve blood flow, reduce inflammation, and help heal tendons better.
Anti-inflammatory Medications and Pain Relief
For most patients, anti-inflammatory drugs are the only important thing which is used in treating the pain of tennis elbow. Ibuprofen and naproxen are examples of over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs that help reduce inflammation and decrease discomfort. However, these are part of a definitive treatment, and they do not solve the actual issue which has led to the pain.
Topical Anti-inflammatories
Apart from oral medications, creams containing anti-inflammatory agents can be applied topically to the elbow. Such preparations may offer localized relief without carrying implications of systemic side effects.
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Corticosteroid Injections in Severe Pain
In cases of chronic tennis elbow for which other treatments have failed and where there is severe pain, further treatment may take the form of corticosteroid injections. Such injections contain strong medication in the form of anti-inflammatory, placed directly into the affected area, thereby causing more effective relief from pain.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Although corticosteroid injections may provide temporary relief from the pain and inflammation, they generally are not a treatment for the long haul. As time passes, repeated injections may actually weaken the tendon further and can even exacerbate the condition. They are typically used in conjunction with other treatments including physical therapy, where some temporary relief is required while the condition is being cured.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Treatment
A newer and more promising chronic tennis elbow treatment is PRP therapy. A small amount of blood is extracted from the patient, which is then processed to concentrate platelets. This concentrated platelet solution is then administered back into the damaged tendon. Platelets are rich in factors that help the body heal damaged tissue, and this can be a long-term solution.
Working of PRP Therapy
It promotes healing by causing growth of new tissue in the damaged tendon. Most patients treated with this technique show significant improvement within several weeks after treatment although it may take more than one session to attain complete benefit.
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)
One of the most widely used non-invasive treatments for chronic tennis elbow is Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy. This type of treatment uses sound waves to enhance healing in affected tendons and reduce pain and loss of function. The treatment tends to be most useful if no other form of conservative care has been effective for a given patient.
Benefits of ESWT
ESWT improves the circulation of blood and enhances tissue repair to restore damaged tissue. It thus works perfectly in order to exclude surgery. Many times one has to perform multiple sessions to observe improvements, but numerous patients report appreciable alleviation of pain and restoration of elbow function.
Surgery Only after Everything Else Has Been Tried
When the tennis elbow condition has become such a chronic state that none of the treatments listed above will work, then surgery may be indicated. Surgical techniques include removal of damaged tendon tissue while stimulating new growths in the affected area. Surgery is an option but usually considered only once all other treatments have been exhausted.
Rehabilitation After Surgery
If surgery is required, then rehabilitation after surgery, including physiotherapy, needs to be followed to regain strength and functionality in the elbow. And in all such cases, it would take several months of recovery before there could be some hope of improvement in mobility and reduction in pain.
Conclusion
In managing chronic pain due to tennis elbow, it is a combination of therapies that can be designed best for the individual. There are various treatments from physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medications to much more complex options such as PRP therapy and shockwave therapy. All these provide relief for people suffering from tennis elbow. Most importantly, once you consult a healthcare professional, you will have designed and planned how to regain function and relieve that painful tension so you can return to your daily activities.
