Tag: surgery for tennis elbow

How to Treat Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow: it’s not just for tennis anymore. Most people who have seen the inside of an orthopedic office know that this common malady is misnamed, but a surprising number of athletes and laborers do not.

The simple truth about tennis elbow is that it is most often caused by dragging, lifting, or playing sports (other than tennis) with hard-to-control equipment. Typically the elbow pain is the same no matter what its source: a sharply aching joint that doesn’t get much better with rest.

Tennis elbow shares a similar issue – pain – with other elbow symptoms, but can be distinguished by its placement. Typically tennis elbow involves pain on the outside of the elbow, sometimes extended to the back of the hand. This is different from similar elbow diagnoses:

[T]here are some symptoms that are often mistaken for tennis elbow, such as pain in the inside of the elbow joint, also known as Golfer’s Elbow. Another condition is pain at the back of the elbow, called Bursitis, which is caused by a cyst.

To find out for sure how to treat your tennis elbow, contact a San Diego orthopedist or schedule an appointment here.

Relieve Elbow Pain Here in San Diego

Muscle and tendon pain in the elbow is typically given one of two names: tennis elbow for the outside of the joint, and golfer’s elbow for the inside. Both injuries are related: when repetitive movements stress the tendons anywhere past their limit, the resulting pain can be persistent and difficult to treat.

This article takes a look at an escalating series of options for resolving elbow pain, from rest and anti-inflammatories to steroids and surgery. Of that last option, the author notes that although it is generally a last resort, it also may be necessary:

“The last resort is surgery, an arthroscopic tendon release,” Suppiah says. “But it might be necessary if you suffer from repeated issues with the tendons — tendinosis — and nothing else works.”

The first step in resolving your elbow pain is to visit an orthopedic surgeon in San Diego. When you speak with the professionals in my office, you can expect the gold standard in diagnosis and care. If elbow surgery is required, I can speak with you about the best options right away.