Conquering Your Elbow Pain or Tendonitis
While often called tennis or golfer's elbow, it is not just athletes who develop these conditions. In fact, it is common in many occupations. If left unaddressed, elbow tendonitis can result in a rupture and lead to a range of permanent health issues. Read below to learn more about the causes and symptoms of Elbow pain and tendonitis and how to finally conquer it with the help of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT), which we provide here at HealthLogicMD.
Call Us: 720.446.5190 Schedule an AppointmentCauses & Symptoms & Treatment
Causes of Elbow Pain or Tendonitis
There are two common forms of tendon injuries to the elbow: lateral epicondylitis and medial epicondylitis. Both are the result of overuse. The first condition, lateral epicondylitis is more commonly known as tennis elbow. The second condition, medial epicondylitis, is known as golfer's elbow. Both are from the overuse of the elbow and are very common conditions for athletes with sports involving racquets or throwing. But tennis elbow can be a result of any activity that requires repeated flexing and twisting such as using a screwdriver or weeding. In fact, the less common golfer's elbow is more likely to be caused by occupational overuse than (like construction or even gardening) than by a sports activity.
Symptoms of Elbow Pain or Tendonitis
If you are experiencing pain on the outer side of the elbow, which could even extend down to the forearm and wrist, you likely have tennis elbow. And if you are experiencing pain on the inner side of the elbow, it could be golfer's elbow. Either way, you could also be experiencing limited motion, muscle weakness, redness, swelling, and tenderness in the area of the sore tendon. To determine which tendon is inflamed, your doctor will have you bend your wrist and raise the affected arm above your head, among other movements, and review your athletic activities and occupation.
Treatment of Elbow Pain or Tendonitis
Mild elbow pain or tendonitis can be treated at-home with rest and the first line of treatment is immobilization, which may require that wear a brace that prevents your injured elbow from moving. Physical therapy may be prescribed to strengthen your elbow and arm muscles as well. Your doctor might have you use ibuprofen or other over-the-counter medications to reduce pain and inflammation or might also prescribe stronger pain and anti-inflammation medications. If the pain or tendonitis does not go away or becomes chronic, you might become a candidate for extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT). Requiring 6 to 10 treatment, each 10-15 minutes long, ESWT has been clinically proven effective in treating Elbow tendonitis. It does so by promoting collagen synthesis and tissue modeling, among other benefits. With the procedure, you simply relax on a treatment bed and, after an application of a local anesthetic onto the elbow to reduce any pain, high energy shock waves are applied to the affected area, which often provides immediate relief upon the first treatment. Complete recovery is typically achieved within 6 to 10 sessions. While surgery for elbow pain is rare, it is often recommended when other treatments do not work or if there is significant tendon damage. ESWT, however, often eliminates the risk factors associated with needing surgery and allows people to get back to their normal life.
Causes of Elbow Pain or Tendonitis
There are two common forms of tendon injuries to the elbow: lateral epicondylitis and medial epicondylitis. Both are the result of overuse. The first condition, lateral epicondylitis is more commonly known as tennis elbow. The second condition, medial epicondylitis, is known as golfer's elbow. Both are from the overuse of the elbow and are very common conditions for athletes with sports involving racquets or throwing. But tennis elbow can be a result of any activity that requires repeated flexing and twisting such as using a screwdriver or weeding. In fact, the less common golfer's elbow is more likely to be caused by occupational overuse than (like construction or even gardening) than by a sports activity.
Take the first step to regaining your pain-free lifestyle
Learn About Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT)
ESWT was first introduced in 1982 as a way to dissolve urinary stones, so they could pass less painfully. However, as medical studies progressed, ESWT was found to be an effective treatment for tendonitis and other soft-tissue conditions. ESWT treatment promotes collagen synthesis and tissue modeling, among other benefits, which improve the chances for a complete recovery for musculoskeletal pain conditions without the need for surgery.
More about ESWT
Extracorporeal shock wave therapy gets its name, because shock waves, a type of sound wave, are delivered to the injured tissue “extracorporeally,” which means above the skin. The shock wave device delivers impulses to the affected area, which stimulate blood flow, relax muscles in spasm, and stimulate tissue repair. Immediate pain relief is achieved upon the 1st treatment in most cases, while 6-10 treatments are usually required for complete recovery.
ESWT is commonly used in the treatment of a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions. If you suffer from chronic pain in the Achilles tendon, elbow, knee, plantar fascia, shoulder, or other parts of your body, you might be a candidate for ESWT.
Call Us: 720.446.5190 Schedule an In-Office ConsultationMeet the Team
Dr. Inna Trey MD
Family Medicine & Hormonal Health
Dr. Trey is Family Medicine Board Certified and is certified by BioTE Medical for Hormone Optimization. Dr. Trey’s goal for every patient is to treat the root cause of their ailment, rather than just mask the symptoms with prescription medication. In her spare time, Dr. Trey loves to go on adventures with her husband, 2 kids and the family dog.
Vanessa Flores, MA
Practice Manager and Medical Assistant
Vanessa is a Colorado native and is a Medical Assistant with over 13 years of experience. Vanessa is treats every patient like they are family, and you can always count on a smile when you talk to her. Vanessa is mother to 4 functional kids, so you know she can keep calm during those busy days.
Patient Success Stories
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I was suffering from pain in my heel for over 3 years and thought the pain would never go away. After the first visit to Dr. Trey’s office, I felt a significant reduction in pain level and after the 4th treatment, the pain completely subsided! It’s incredible!
Karen L. Centennial, CO -
I am so thankful for being able to walk pain-free again! I am almost crying just thinking about it.
Lorie J. Greenwood Village, CO -
I had elbow pain for close to a year and was almost at the point of going for surgery. I am so glad I tried ESWT at Dr. Trey’s office instead! I have had 5 treatments so far and the pain is virtually non-existent. Honestly, it’s hard to believe, but it’s real!
Jonathan M. Centennial, CO -
My shoulders were almost always in pain. It was ridiculous. I had to pretty much give up going to the gym and was seriously considering surgery. I googled ‘surgery-free shoulder pain therapy’ and found HealthLogicMD and boy am I glad I did! It’s been 7 weeks since my last ESWT procedure and I am pretty much pain free. Procedures were only 15 minutes! I told all my family and friends about Dr. Trey already.
Chris M. Littleton, CO -
The staff and Dr. Trey herself were all extremely courteous, helpful and competent. I was honestly blown away by how efficient and pleasant every appointment was. The main thing though is I can finally use my knees without pain again. I am going back to jogging as soon as the weather warms up!
Amy S. Denver, CO -
ESWT worked! Plain and simple. I was suffering from CONSTANT foot pain. I did not know what to do anymore and thought surgery was the way to go. I was referred to HealthLogicMD by a friend of the family and Dr. Trey recommended Shock Wave Therapy. After only 4 treatments, the pain is 95% gone. It was eye opening! Thank you guys!
Sergey F. Aurora, CO -
This sounds almost unbelievable but I was almost completely pain free after just one session. It was like magic. Now after the full 4 sessions, my achilles pain is a distant memory. You guys rock!
David N. Centennial, CO