Introduction
Inflammation of tendons in the upper arm is an inflammation (inflammation) of the tendons that connect the muscles of the upper arm with the bones. A distinction must be made between inflammation of the tendons (tendinitis) and inflammation of the tendon sheath (tendovaginitis). Tendinitis of the upper arm can occur due to some degenerative (tissue destroying) diseases, as well as as as a result of overloading the tendons and in rare cases as a result of bacterial infection. Depending on the cause and stage of the disease, a few weeks or months may pass until complete recovery.
Causes
The causes of tendonitis are manifold. Often, overloading of the affected tendons is the trigger of the inflammation. Athletes who put a lot of strain on the muscles of the upper arm are therefore particularly at risk of developing tendonitis of the upper arm.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of tendonitis are severe pain in the affected area. Especially when the muscles of the upper arm are strained, pain typically occurs, which is described as stitches. The tendon also usually shows a strong pain in pressure.
In addition to the pain as the main symptom of the disease, signs of inflammation are characteristically perceived in the area of the affected upper arm. These typically include redness, swelling, overheating, pain and a more or less severe loss of function of the affected tendon. In the case of infections, an elevated body temperature may also be part of the symptom complex.
The localization of the symptoms is important for the diagnosis. Depending on which tendon is affected, the upper arm can show symptoms in different places. Often tendons are affected which run from the upper arm under the armpit.
If the pain occurs during movements of the upper arm and shoulder in the armpit area and is possibly accompanied by other signs of inflammation, tendon inflammation should therefore be considered as a possible cause. The anamnesis (doctor-patient conversation) as well as the physical examination are the main factors in diagnosing tendonitis. In most cases, the treating physician can make a suspected diagnosis of tendonitis based on the description of the symptoms alone.
In addition to functional testing of the tendon, further diagnostic measures may be necessary in individual cases to confirm the diagnosis. In particular, imaging examinations such as ultrasound and an MRI scan can often confirm the diagnosis of tendonitis. Please also carry out our self-test for shoulder pain:
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