Tennis elbow is an affliction which thousands of people encounter each year, a problematic issue which can cause great pain, discomfort and make simple tasks very difficult. Thankfully those with tennis elbow, or those who develop it, can find ways and means to overcome the problem, and banish it to the past.
Today we are going to talk a little about what tennis elbow is, how it is caused, and what you can do about it if you are suffering from this problem.
What is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is a form of tendonitis which sees the tendons around the elbow and the upper forearm become inflamed, swollen and taut. This problem is actually the most common issue for those whoo go to see their doctor with elbow pain and the severity of the issue can vary from patient to patient.
How is This Caused?
In spite of its name, you don’t need to be a tennis player in order to get tennis elbow, in fact you could have never touched a racket in your life and still have this medical issue. The cause of tennis elbow is repetitive strain, and over-usage of the arm and the joints. Very often this will be related to the job which you have, and people who do carpentry, painting, knitting, typing, or indeed playing racket sports, can contact the problem. The reason behind the name tennis elbow is that those who have this issue have difficulty with gripping things, such as a tennis racket.
What Can I Do?
There are many treatments out there for those who are suffering with the various difficulties that tennis elbow can cause. The good news is that in most cases this is a problem which will go away on its own, but you can help the process. Using ice on the area for a period of 20 minutes every 3-4 hours can greatly reduce the swelling and get the tendons moving again. Alternatively, if you know you have this issue, you could look at wearing some strapping to protect the tendons when you are doing anything that could put pressure on them.
A great many tennis elbow chiropractic experts also recommend that in order to overcome this issue, you consult a clinic who will look into the impact of your neck, shoulder and back, in relation to your tennis elbow issues. Within this you should be looking at a variety of stretching exercises which will help to alleviate tension on the affected area. In terms of looking for a short term solution which will greatly help to reduce the severity of the issue, you could look to get some steroid or cortisone injection which will free up the muscles and the tension that is surrounding the tendons. It is important to remember that injections will not help you in the long term.
If you do find yourself with problems in the elbow, this could be your problem, go and see a professional and look for ways to remedy your tennis elbow as soon as possible.
