Squashing The Misconceptions And Myths On Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is one of the most painful injuries on the arm. In case you did not know, this is an injury that is brought about by excessive stress on the outer part of the elbow, specifically the tendons that connect the elbow bone to the muscles. These tendons suffer tiny micro-tears that can become very inflamed, painful and sometimes even cause the arm and the wrist to swell. Some of the initial elbow tendonitis symptoms that everyone needs to look out for include tenderness on the elbow, tingly sensation, numbness and slight pain especially when the arm is stretched or folded. With time, unless the injury is treated, more symptoms that will be more severe will show including excruciating pain on the elbow, inability to use the arm, shoulder and the wrist and fingers even in light tasks like lifting a cup or writing, inflammation and swelling.
Tennis elbow can be a very serious injury if not dealt with in good time, this is why as soon as the initial symptoms show, first aid remedies must be applied on the injury and the arm allowed to rest to prevent further injury. The basic remedies that will help prevent further damage and speed up healing include:
Rest – allow the injured arm complete rest especially the first few hours of injury. This will prevent further injuries on the already torn tendons of the arm.
Application of ice – a pack of ice is beneficial in relieving pain, preventing swelling and inflammation. Apply a pack of ice on the injury for 20 minutes in intervals of 3 hours.
Keep the arm elevated – when any tissues are injured, it is normal for blood flow to stagnate on that region and since this can cause problems, it is best to prevent such a problem by keeping the arm in an elevated position. Get used to wearing an elbow brace to prevent accidental use of the arm and injuries that may be caused by swinging.
Anti-inflammation and pain killer drugs – these tennis elbow treatments are very beneficial especially during the onset of the injury. The pain can sometimes become unmanageable but these are what the doctor will prescribe. The anti-inflammation medication can be taken orally, applied as a gel on the injury or injected if the first two methods do not respond well. Just remember that the injury may take a while to heal completely and you will need to be patient as the tendons get repaired.

