Joints are the most vital parts of our skeletal system. They allow us to make a variety of physical movements. Yet, a condition like tendonitis can also make you physically disabled up to a certain extent.
If you want to know more about this type of joint inflammation, refer to the following informative article.
What is tendonitis?
A joint is very complicated like any other part of the body in its making. It is made up of various components like ligaments, synovium, bursae, bone ends, cartilage, and tendons.
A tendon is a band of soft tissue in a joint that offers muscle-to-bone connectivity. When this soft structure gets injured and becomes swollen and painful because of the process of inflammation, the condition is known as tendonitis in medical parlance.
Types of tendonitis
Tendons are found across all the joints in the skeletal system. You might be suffering from knee tendonitis, shoulder tendonitis or the same condition pertaining to any other joint.
However, the following are some of the types of tendonitis you could have:
- Golfer’s shoulder
- Tennis elbow
- Pitcher’s shoulder
- Swimmer’s shoulder
- Runner’s knee
Besides, tendonitis can also be classified according to the joint type: knee, elbow, shoulder, ankle, etc.
Why does this happen?
Tendonitis is a common joint inflammatory problem. This can happen according to 2 things: external traumatising events and internal medical conditions.
Suppose you happened to be involved in a road accident while riding your bike. And, your knee gets hurt along with your elbow and shoulder. In that case, if this trauma has also injured the concerned tendons, it will give rise to the condition of tendonitis.
This has been an example of tendonitis caused by external trauma.
Another cause for tendonitis is the presence of underlying conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes.
If you haven’t been part of any external trauma recently but have started experiencing inflammation of one or more joints, this could be due to the advancement of some internal and undetected medical condition.
If you are residing in West Delhi, then consult the best orthopedic doctor in west delhi as soon as possible.
Treatments
The following are the treatments for curing the condition of tendonitis.
Rest and Activity Modification
The best cure is rest and activity modification. Often, we end up straining our body parts. It can happen because of negligence, ignorance or accident while carrying out some activity. But, there is nothing to worry about.
Take a rest. Adequate relaxation allows for the natural healing capacity of our body to set in, correcting the situation itself.
Furthermore, ensure you also avoid physical movements that might affect the inflamed tendon negatively, making the situation worse. For a while, resort to safe moves.
Ice Compression
Tendonitis is a painful condition that happens because of the inflamed tendon. And, in every type of inflammation, swelling is a normal consequence. Thus, to reduce pain and swelling from tendonitis, apply ice compression.
Applying ice to the affected area will restrict blood flow to the inflamed tendon because of the biological phenomenon known as vasoconstriction.
It limits the amount of inflammatory chemicals, found in your body, to the injured place and helps with swelling and tenderness.
Furthermore, ice also numbs the concerned nerves, reducing pain and promoting comfort.
Pain Medicines
Pain medications are also an option when it comes to the treatment of tendonitis. Your doctor can prescribe you drugs like ibuprofen, naproxen, or any other form of modern medicine that is proven for clinical usage.
Physical Therapy
In this branch of medicine, inflammation and pain-related issues are attempted to be addressed with the help of non-drug and non-surgery methods like massage, stretching, exercise, and heat treatment.
Bracing or Splinting
In the treatment of tendonitis, immobilisation techniques are also used. Immobilising the affected joint helps restrict harmful movements and promotes healing. Techniques involve bracing or splinting.
Steroid Injections
If you are experiencing severe pain, your doctor might also use an injection of corticosteroids. This will relieve you of pain, swelling, and inflammation.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)
If you have tendonitis in your hip joint, this could be because of the problem of osteoarthritis in its most advanced stage. If you indeed have to suffer a lot of hip pain due to OA, the only solution for it is a replacement.
To connect with the most experienced and qualified surgeon, click on the following link: the best hip replacement surgeon in India.
So, let’s talk about another option to cure tendonitis—platelet-rich plasma. In this option, an experienced doctor will take your blood out of your vein and get platelet-rich plasma out of it.
Once the plasma has been separated from the blood sample, it will be injected into the affected area to promote healing and reduce inflammation.
Shockwave Therapy
If it is considered appropriate, the doctor handling your condition of tendonitis might also give you shockwave therapy.
In this treatment, your body’s biological capacity to heal itself is stimulated. This treatment is also known by the term extracorporeal shockwave therapy.
In order to stimulate the healing of the inflamed tendon, a well-qualified shockwave therapist will use a shockwave generator to give shockwaves to the affected area.
Surgery
Aggravated tendonitis can also be operated arthroscopically or through an open surgery. For the best treatment, first, consult a competent joint or orthopedic doctor. They will offer you the best relief within a reasonable time.
How to prevent tendonitis
Do you want to prevent tendonitis? If yes, take the following precautions.
First, always warm up before performing arduous activities and also set aside some time after such activities to cool down your body. It helps prepare the soft tissue like tendons and ligaments in your body and joints better, reducing the risk of soft injuries.
Second, exercise regularly, especially weight training as it will strengthen your muscles, ligaments, tendons, and other soft structures of the joints.
Third, pay attention to your diet. Ensure you are taking all the essential macro and micronutrients through the foods you eat.
Fourth, make sure you are not calcium deficient. Consume enough dairy products. Fifth, avoid sudden, abrupt, and unmindful movements involving your joints.
Conclusion
Tendonitis can be effectively managed without many complications. The only condition is that you need to connect with the right orthopedic doctor for the most personalised treatment.
Internal Link – largeskin
