Associated symptoms
The typical symptom of tennis elbow is the stabbing, tearing pain when moving. The pain also occurs when pressure is applied from outside to the tendon insertion point. It is not possible to speak directly of an inflammation, as this often lacks redness, overheating and swelling.
If these occur, it is more likely to be another disease, for example bursitis. The pain is particularly noticeable after prolonged exercise and with the corresponding movements of the affected muscles. Supination and extension provoke the pain most.
This means that the pain is particularly noticeable during activities such as using a screwdriver or grasping objects. Initially, the pain occurs during sports, but as the pain progresses, even with slight movements. Under certain circumstances, the pain can radiate into the upper and lower arm, even into the hand. In exceptional cases, there may be tingling and sensitivity problems in the fingers. This may be caused by irritation of the surrounding nerves.
Properties of the pain
The pain is most noticeable when the wrists and fingers are extended (bent towards the back of the hand). This movement is performed during a simple backhand stroke in tennis. In addition, static exertion such as holding a pen or glass can also cause sometimes severe pain, which can make it difficult or even impossible to perform these everyday activities.
In addition, the closing of the fist or arm movements such as waving can be painful, since the corresponding muscle groups are also involved here. Furthermore, the pain occurs mainly or intensifies at night and in the morning. A cramping and an accompanying shortening of the affected muscles are possible co-triggers for the pain.
At night, the other muscles and especially the antagonists are calm and the affected muscles continue to contract. This leads to the pain continuing. It is therefore typical that the pain manifests itself mainly at night and at rest.
The pain is usually located at the outer elbow. It manifests itself as an outlined pain above the tendon attachment of the forearm extensor muscles and may possibly affect the muscles themselves. The pain can also be triggered by pressure on the outer, bony part of the elbow.
This characteristic is also important to distinguish it from other damages and diseases, such as supinatorlogen syndrome or other entrapment and damage to nerve tracts. The pain of tennis elbow can in some cases radiate into the upper arm and shoulder. The stimulus then spreads along the muscles.
The cause can also be nerve irritation. If the pain is only in the upper arm, it is often necessary to look for other causes. In most cases, the pain radiates along the nerve tracts away from the center of the body.
At the elbow, the vessels, nerves and muscle structures are guided through the bone protrusions in different paths. For example, the radialis nerve, which supplies parts of the hand, runs along the muscles affected by tennis elbow. If the pain caused by tennis elbow is severe, nerve fibers can also be affected.
In this case, the elbow triggers a stimulation of the nerve, which supplies the hand sensitively. For this reason, the pain is perceived in the forearm, hand or fingers, although its cause is in the elbow.In this way, tennis elbow can sometimes cause tingling and numbness in the fingers. Injections in the elbow are used in the context of many diseases.
Also in the therapy of tennis elbow, cortisone-containing medication can be injected directly into the affected area. The drug often provides short-term relief from pain and gives the tendon time to recover by suppressing the inflammatory process. Incorrectly placed injections can also irritate and damage the tendons.
In principle, an injection into the body is a minor injury, which may also cause pain in the elbow again. Some patients experience pain at night. The pain can be caused by incorrect strain during sleep or can be intensified during the night if there is already irritation.
This is caused by positions during sleep, which puts pressure on the elbow. By placing the head on the arm, the pain can arise or be intensified. If the tennis elbow is very painful, the movements during sleep can also cause pain. This is particularly difficult to bear for the affected person, as they wake up more often at night from the small movements.
