Lateral Epicondylitis
Lateral epicondylitis, also known as the tennis elbow, is a medical condition that usually causes pain on the outer side of the elbow and some weakness in the forearm. The common name of the condition which is the tennis elbow is actually inaccurate, because the chronic condition is not exclusive to tennis players. Actually, only a small number of those with this medical condition are tennis players. Other sports or activities that puts frequent pressure and strain on the wrist and on the forearm are at risk of having the so-called tennis elbow. The condition can be actually cured by refraining from physical activities that put strain on the wrist and forearm, and applying some ice on the painful and swelling area. If the pain is unbearable and the inflammation does not go away for several weeks, competent advice from a medical professional should be sought. The doctor then would check for serious damage to the tendons and muscles and may ask you of the recent physical activities you were involved in.
To help you to better understand lateral epicondylitis, some terms might be of use, so that when you go to the doctor or perform more in-depth research, you would easily grasp the details and concepts. The extensor carpi radialis brevis (quite a mouthful) or the ECRB tendon is usually affected. Overuse and constant strain to this tendon causes it to stretch and swell which eventually leads to tennis elbow. By the way, shooter’s elbow and archer’s elbow are also common terms that refer also to the tennis elbow. The ECRB tendon is usually overused whenever the activity involves the constant and frequent rotation of the wrist and the lifting of the elbow. Common activities that involve these kinds of movements are hammering the nails, sewing, and yes, playing tennis.
The tennis elbow does not naturally manifest itself on the spot. It tends to be felt little by little and gradually. One subtle symptom to watch out for is when you notice that your arm feels a bit sorer after one regular activity and the muscles in the forearm got weaker. After quite some time (for example after several weeks), the pain then spreads and gets more severe and is usually felt in the forearm, hand and wrist. The pain becomes unbearable that doing very light tasks becomes so difficult and painful.
In most cases, the pain and swelling caused by lateral epicondylitis can be relieved by simply resting and applying ice to the painful area for several days. Over the counter anti-inflammatory drugs could also help to ease the swelling. After a week, you might feel better when you continuously follow those simple tips and after that you should resume to light activities in a gradual pace. To make you more comfortable and provide protection for the recovering area, elbow bands and wraps can be purchased at supermarkets and other stores.
If you are suffering from intense pain, you should see the doctor immediately. The physician would analyze the symptoms and might order an X-ray scan to clearly assess the damage. If the ECRB is torn, a surgery would be required. Some cases would require several weeks of rest and treatment. Also in a few instances, it might take several months to fully recover from lateral epicondylitis.
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