Tennis Elbow

·         Pain or Burning on the outer part of the elbow

·         Pain when handling  or griping an object

·         Pain from the muscle when we physically use it

·         Inflammation when twisting the Forearm

·         Extension of the arm also causes pain

These symptoms often worse when we use the inflamatted part continuously. Compared to both arms our dominant arm is affected more. Tennis Elbow can occur without any repetitive injury this is called as ‘‘insidious’’ or unknown cause. Age factors are also responsible for this Tennis Elbow. The signs and Symptoms of Tennis Elbow mainly depends upon the type of activities that we do repeatedly causing pain in the arm area.

There are numerous therapies to treat Tennis elbow but no one is effective. One of the Remedy used to treat Tennis Elbow is the Use of Steroid Injection. Corticosteroid Injections are very effective in treating pain and gives instant relief. Now a day The Plasma rich Platelet Therapy, Use of Glucocorticoid is gaining importance. In Plasma rich Platelet Therapy injection the Platelets are taken from the patient itself. It repairs the effective tissue. Glucocorticoid Injection is Little Effective than Steroid Injection in healing the Pain. Apart from the Injections we use latest trends like Physiotherapy are coming in to light to treat the pain in a new and simple way. But the time taken for the result of its effectiveness is very long compared with the normal corticosteroid injections. 

Bursae are the Slippery sacs that lie between the bones and Soft tissue of our body. They are slippery in nature that helps in the easy movement of the tissue on the underlying bone. Basically this Olecranon Bursa is flat in nature and it lies between the loose skin and Pointy bone at the back of the elbow. If it is irritated or inflamatted more fluid is accumulated and bursitis will be developed. The factors that affect the cause of Olecranon Bursitis are Trauma, Prolonged Pressure, Infection, and medical conditions such as Arthritis etc. The main symptoms are Swelling, Pain in the elbow region, Restriction in the movement of elbow, Redness of the skin, Spreading of the Infection to the other parts etc. Surgical and Non –surgical Ways are available to treat it. 

If the pain prolongs up to two to twelve months then surgery is recommended. The main method used in the surgical method is removing of the infected muscle and attaching the new one. The most Common method used is the open surgery. In this a small incision is made on the elbow and the infected muscle is removed. Another Method Used is Arthroscopic Surgery. In this a small miniature instrument is used for surgery. As with every Surgery Risks are common. The most common things to consider are Loss of strength, Loss of Flexibility, Infection, Bleeding, Need for another Surgery, Prolonged Rehabilitation etc.   

Majority of the Patients (Approximately 80% to 95%) who are suffering are treated with non- surgical Treatment. The first step toward recovery is to give your arm proper rest. Usage of arm should be restricted only to some things. Usage of Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines like aspirin or ibuprofen and Steroid Injections like Cortisone reduces pain and swelling. Specific exercises are helpful for strengthening the muscles of the forearm. Using a brace centered over the back of your forearm may also help relieve symptoms of tennis elbow. This can reduce symptoms by resting the muscles and tendons.  Shock wave therapy sends sound waves to the elbow. These sound waves create "microtrauma" that promote the body's natural healing processes.

X-rays are needed for the diagnosis of tennis Elbow. In the case of x-rays the displacement of the bone or the inflammation of the bone can be diagnosed but the position of the soft tissue cannot be seen. In this case MRI scanning can be used. It shows the problems related to the soft tissues too. Arthroscopy is another way for the Diagnosis of Tennis Elbow. Electromyogram and nerve conduction tests are used to check the proper functioning of the Nerves. Bone scans are also used for the diagnosis of the bones.

Stretching and Strengthening of your arm muscles decreases the risk of Tennis elbow. Using Equipment appropriate to Body size and shape also reduces the risk. When you experience a little pain repeated movements of arm must be restricted. Wearing of counterforce brace during activities prevents grasping or twisting arm movements As soon as you notice pain, use ice or cold packs for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, several times a day. You can also take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including aspirin (such as Bayer), ibuprofen (such asAdvil), or naproxen (such as Aleve) etc. 

Traditional treatment of tennis elbow consists of therapies such as braces, medications, heat, physical therapy and rest, the majority of which are effective in relieving pain but do very little to prevent the condition from recurring.  Now a day Physicians suggests that acupuncture not only relieves the symptoms of tennis elbow, it appears to resolve the condition completely. Usage of “rounded" acupuncture needles, which are designed to pierce the skin and enter the muscle with as little damage as possible. Each patient was treated between 2-10 times at an average of 3.9 treatments. A "maximal response" was achieved, with every patient reporting a disappearance of their symptoms. This response also appeared to last much longer than that usually seen in patients using painkillers, braces or other traditional methods. 

Radial Tunnel Syndrome is a condition thought to be a compression injury to the radial nerve, which runs by the bones and muscles of the forearm and elbow.  This condition can often be confused with tennis elbow.  It most often occurs due to repetitive motions such as pushing or pulling, twisting, gripping with the hand or bending the wrist.  It can also be caused by a direct trauma to the area or injury. Radial Tunnel Syndrome symptoms include, cutting, piercing, or stabbing pain at the top of the forearm or back of the hand, especially when you try to extend or straighten your wrist and fingers.  Treatment options include rest, immobilization with a splint, cushioning of the nerve with an elbow pad, and anti-inflammatory medications