Have you heard of tennis elbow? Do you know exactly what it is? Well, tennis elbow or elbow tendonitis is an arm injury which produces extreme, burning pain over the bony part of the outer side of the elbow. The scientific term for this debilitating condition is lateral epicondylitis. The shooting pain is the end result of the inflammation of the fibrous strands called tendons which connect the forearm muscles to the bony protrusion located on the outer side of the elbow called lateral epicondyle.

Tennis elbow normally begins with the sufferer experiencing mild pain which will eventually get worse, the longer it is left untreated. Such pain will also aggravate whenever the affected area is pressed or when you try extending or straightening your wrist. For instance, twisting a screwdriver can worsen the pain. In complex cases, even the simplest of movements can also produce that sharp stabbing pain.

While this condition normally affects half of those who play tennis or any racket sports on a daily basis, the majority of people who develop the symptoms of elbow tendonitis are actually non-racket players. Job activities which require recurring and forceful use of the forearm and wrist muscles like painting, writing, plumbing, meat cutting, weaving and the like can also develop tennis elbow symptoms. A lot of those who get afflicted by this arm disorder are in the age range of thirty and above. However, people who do not fall under the said age range can still acquire this injury.

The diagnosis of tennis elbow normally involves a patient undergoing a series of physical examinations. About ninety-five percent of reported tennis elbow cases can be managed with the aid of non-surgical treatments and the signs and symptoms typically decrease in about 5 – 6 weeks of continuous apt treatment.

Treatment measures include the application of ice packs along the elbow joint, taking anti inflammatory medications for relieving the pain, following a series of elbow tendonitis exercises together with wearing a tennis elbow strap. In rare cases, corticosteroid shots as well as surgical procedures will be advised by the doctor. However, take note that these last two approaches mentioned are rarely suggested.

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