Symptoms | Tendinitis in the elbow

Symptoms

Pain is the typical leading symptom of tendonitis at the elbow. Above all, so-called load-dependent pain – pain that occurs when the muscle belonging to the inflamed tendon is used – is complained of by almost all those affected. In addition, pain due to pressure can also occur at rest.

This is perceived as particularly strong when the tendon is under tension. Last but not least, all other symptoms are similar to those of any other inflammation. The affected area hurts, is swollen, reddened, overheated and no longer fully functional.

The latter in particular is also often an indirect consequence of the pain. Movements that are perceived as unpleasant are usually not performed with pleasure. The arm remains more and more in a gentle position.

Diagnosis

As a rule, tendinitis can be diagnosed as a so-called clinical diagnosis. The examining doctor interviews the patient and has all the symptoms described. Afterwards, some movements are tested, in which the patient should bend the wrist against resistance, for example.

In this way, it is already possible to determine fairly precisely whether and which muscle is disturbed in its function or where exactly the pain is located. Furthermore, important bone points and muscles as well as tendons are palpated. If this is also unpleasant and painful for the person affected, the diagnosis of tendonitis is already relatively clear.

To confirm this diagnosis, the doctor can perform an ultrasound examination and/or arrange for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In spite of all the possibilities, no test is infallible and always has certain limitations. If the patient is in severe pain but the doctor has no explanation for it, a so-called diagnostic arthroscopy may be used under certain circumstances. This type of short operation is a joint endoscopy, which allows a small camera to look inside the joint and find a more precise diagnosis. Depending on the image that the surgeon sees during this examination, therapy can be performed directly in the same step.