Repeated, forceful movements of the arm can result in tennis elbow. Whether you're an athlete, painter, butcher, or someone who does activities involving repetitive movements, Samimi Orthopaedic Group in West Covina, and Los Angeles, CA, can evaluate your joint and treat the injury.
Tennis elbow symptoms
Tennis elbow, also called lateral epicondylitis, comes from overusing the tendons and muscles in your elbow. Those most prone to the condition are athletes who play racquet sports, giving the condition its widely known nickname.
Typically, tennis elbow causes inflammation in the elbow and forearm. As an overuse injury, tennis elbow causes symptoms that set in and get worse gradually over the course of weeks or months. Your symptoms may include:
- Pain in the outer elbow
- Burning in the outer elbow
- Weakening hand strength
- Pain migrating toward your wrist
Most people get tennis elbow in their dominant arm because that's the arm they use most often. You may notice that the pain tends to flare up when you use that arm for everyday tasks.
Advanced nonsurgical treatment for tennis elbow
Sometimes, tennis elbow symptoms are manageable without a visit to a specialist. If your symptoms go away after limiting activity for a while, using ice to relieve inflammation, and taking anti-inflammatory medications at home, you might not need any further treatment.
Your doctors have the expertise to treat your tennis elbow using the most advanced options available. Nonsurgical options are the first line of treatment.
Your individualized tennis elbow treatment plan may include:
- A counterforce brace
- Cortisone injections
- Platelet-rich plasma injections
- Physical therapy
- A professional check of your athletic equipment
- A resting period
- Oral anti-inflammatory medications
We offer tennis elbow surgery if your symptoms don't improve with conservative treatments. Typically, surgery for tennis elbow works by removing torn or inflamed portions of the tendon.
In many cases, your surgeon can treat tennis elbow with a minimally invasive outpatient technique called arthroscopic surgery. This approach uses smaller incisions, has less recovery time, and results in less noticeable scarring when your arm heals. The alternative is open surgery, which uses a single large incision.
Tennis elbow symptoms will only get worse if you don't treat them. Samimi Orthopaedic Group in West Covina, and Los Angeles, CA, can teach you more about tennis elbow symptoms and treatments if you're at risk or are already experiencing the signs. To book an appointment, call the Los Angeles, office at (310) 606-2156 or the West Covina, office at (626) 338-7391.