Tennis Elbow in Bethesda MD

Tennis elbow, contrary to what its name suggests, is not just caused by playing tennis. Most cases of this potentially debilitating pain are found in people who use constantly repetitive motions in their work. Plumbers, painters, and butchers are all similarly at risk.

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What causes tennis elbow?

Tennis elbow is the name for a painful situation where the tendons in your forearm attach themselves to a bony extrusion most frequently located on the outside of your elbow. Pain is usually limited to the elbow, hence the name, but it can also extend down into the forearm and wrist.

Tennis elbow is most commonly treated with the use of chiropractic realignments and physical therapy.

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What help can I expect to receive from a chiropractor?

There are multiple commonly used chiropractic treatments for the relief of tennis elbow related pain, almost all of which are drug free and non-invasive.

Cross friction massage and a technique known as the myofascial release technique have both been shown to help heal the affected area. By increasing blood flow to the damaged tendon, these techniques promote fast and natural healing without the need for drugs or surgery.

Electro stimulation and/or ultrasound techniques have both been used to promote healing by helping the affected tissues to relax. This is something that can be done in the office, or at home with a personal electro stimulation unit, once you have received proper instruction from your chiropractor.

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What help can physical therapy offer?

Physical therapy treatments for tennis elbow often consist of a customized series of strength and flexibility exercises designed to help relieve the pain caused by the tennis elbow while promoting overall healing. These exercises will be personalized based on the severity of your injury and your current level of fitness.

Once you have been instructed n the exercises you are to perform, it is very easy to keep up with them at home.

In extreme cases, your physical therapist might recommend that you wear a forearm brace to forestall any further damage while your current injury is healing.

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Things to Avoid

A doctor may prescribe a series of cortisone or steroid shots to reduce swelling and inflammation, and help to relieve pain. If it is possible, these should be avoided in favor of chiropractic and physical therapy treatments. Studies have shown that the introduction of these medications into the elbow or forearm can actually irritate and damage the tendons, leading to a reoccurrence of your tennis elbow symptoms.

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Conclusions

Tennis elbow is fairly common, but that doesn’t mean you should suffer in silence. If you begin experiencing any of the symptoms of tennis elbow, schedule a visit to your local chiropractor. He or she will be able to help relieve your pain and treat the actual cause of this discomfort, rather than just relying on cortisone shots or surgery.

A course of chiropractic treatment for tennis elbow can take weeks, and healing is slow. The benefit to this treatment plan is that it will strengthen your tendons and muscles, which can actually help to prevent reoccurrence.

At Montgomery County Chiropractic our team is here to help answer your questions.