Therapy options
The possibilities here are very diverse. Starting with cold treatments, which help especially in acute cases, to heat treatments, which help more in chronic cases. There are also forms of physical therapy such as extracorporeal shock wave therapy, where high-energy sound waves are used, as well as medicinal products such as creams and ointments containing diclofenac as an active ingredient for topical application to the painful areas.
Acupuncture, a means of traditional Chinese medicine, is also used here, as well as cortisone in the form of a cortisone injection, which is often used in orthodox medicine for inflammations and complaints of unclear origin. Meanwhile, physiotherapy treatment and certain stretching exercises for tennis elbow are considered to be the most promising form of therapy, as they probably work best against the cramping and weakness of the muscles. This means that they promote the regeneration and healing of the musculature by stretching and strengthening it.
The duration depends on how long and how intense the pain of tennis elbow has been. In the case of slight initial pain, a short period of rest can already eliminate the problem. In the case of severe tennis elbow, therapy and rest for a few weeks must be followed. In some cases, complete healing can take months. Even after that, sporting activity must be increased slowly and should not be intensified immediately.
Causes
The cause of the pain is the irritation and slight inflammatory reaction of the tendons on the outer elbow. The tendons of several muscles start there. If these tendons are excessively stressed and strained, the physical stimulus, pressure or friction can cause painful irritation of the tendons.
This can be followed by an inflammatory process, which additionally increases the feeling of pain through hormonal messengers and sensitizes the affected area. The diagnosis can then be made by describing the pain and a palpation by the doctor. The strain and irritation of the tendons is a frequent disease, especially in tennis.
But other sports can also trigger the pain.Any sport that involves powerful striking movements is predestined for similar tendon disorders, such as golf, bowling or canoeing. However, there may also be redundant, permanent stresses and strains that are not primarily attributable to a particular sport. Often, computer mouse use, typing on a keyboard and similar monotonous activities can be the cause.
Incorrect strain can occur particularly in manual and physically demanding jobs. Pain from tennis elbow can sometimes even be caused by poor posture during sleep. Overstressing the extensor muscles causes small cracks to appear, which can then become painful.
Due to the close proximity to the elbow, diseases of the joint must first be excluded. If an accident or a twisting is behind, the causes are often to be found elsewhere. Contrary to what is often said, up to 90% of illnesses are not caused by sports.
