Cure for Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow is a common injury that affects the normal functioning of the elbow. In this condition, the tendon at the elbow joint, that connects the forearm muscles to the arm bone, is damaged. The joint pain prevents the person from performing daily activities. Tennis elbow commonly occurs among manual laborers and sportspersons, and tennis players are especially at a higher risk of developing tennis elbow. Jobs such as painting and plumbing can also cause tennis elbow. Great players like Sachin Tendulkar and Tim Henman have also suffered from tennis elbow but with the proper treatment, they have recovered completely. In about 75 percent of the cases, tennis elbow affected the dominant arm.

Tennis Elbow Cure

There are a number of treatment options available, which are considered a cure for tennis elbow. Treatments work best if the injured tendon is allowed proper rest by avoiding activities that involve the elbow. Anti-inflammatory medications are commonly prescribed for people suffering from tennis elbow. These medicines are available in oral form and can be easily taken to reduce inflammation and control pain. Cortisone injections are used when oral medicines fail. These injections can provide relief and decrease the pain.

Other techniques that have been useful for curing a tennis elbow are ultrasound therapy, acupuncture and deep tissue massage. Activity modifications, that do not put excessive pressure on the affected arm, are also recommended to accelerate the healing process.

Surgery is the last option when elbow pain does not subside even after taking rest for 6 to 12 months. This form of treatment is used when the tendon is seriously damaged. In such cases, even months of rest along with medications, does not help the cause. In the surgical procedure, the damaged tissue is removed from the tendon. However, surgery is rarely used in the treatment of tennis elbow. Less than 5% of the cases are recommended for surgery. Many a times, patients are completely cured by using non-surgical treatments.

Tennis Elbow Home Cures

People affected by a mild form of tennis elbow can apply an ice pack for around 10 to 20 minutes to reduce the pain and swelling. A cloth must be placed between the the ice and the skin, as direct contact can cause cold injuries. Ice sessions must be repeated after every couple of hours for optimum results. Medicines such as ibuprofen can also help relieve the symptoms. Wearing an arm brace is also beneficial for the patient, as it limits the movement of the tendon, redirects the muscle pull, thus providing relief to the injured tendon. Arm braces, also known as elbow braces, can be purchased from sports shops and pharmacies. By doing some simple exercises, it is possible to control the symptoms of tennis elbow. Physiotherapy can provide a lot of relief and doctors may advice certain strengthening exercises to relieve the pain. In some cases, where surgery failed, exercises have helped cure tennis elbow.

Depending upon the severity of the injury, a specific mode of treatment is advised as a cure for tennis elbow. It is also necessary to prevent further injury to the elbow and perform activities as recommended by the doctor until the condition improves.