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Hi folks
I wasnt sure where to put this thread, so it might get moved. I'm a bit worried and was looking for some advice. After a lot of faffing by physios etc, I have finally been told that I am suffering from tendonitis of my right elbow and have been signed off work for two weeks for complete rest. The muscle that leads away from the tendon and down my arm is sore most of the day but worse in the morning and is puffy and hard, its visibly seen when looking at my arm. I was given Arthrotec anti-inflammatories by my GP and have been taking them for 6 days now, but there has been no change whatsoever and I'm feeling a bit concerned that, I would have thought there would have been some difference in that time? I've got the physio AGAIN on Thursday but after over a month there doesnt seem to be much change in my symptoms, I havent been climbing and been taking it easy as far as lifting heavy things and trying to rest my right arm. Any good advice out there?
A rather worried Kirstin
I wasnt sure where to put this thread, so it might get moved. I'm a bit worried and was looking for some advice. After a lot of faffing by physios etc, I have finally been told that I am suffering from tendonitis of my right elbow and have been signed off work for two weeks for complete rest. The muscle that leads away from the tendon and down my arm is sore most of the day but worse in the morning and is puffy and hard, its visibly seen when looking at my arm. I was given Arthrotec anti-inflammatories by my GP and have been taking them for 6 days now, but there has been no change whatsoever and I'm feeling a bit concerned that, I would have thought there would have been some difference in that time? I've got the physio AGAIN on Thursday but after over a month there doesnt seem to be much change in my symptoms, I havent been climbing and been taking it easy as far as lifting heavy things and trying to rest my right arm. Any good advice out there?
A rather worried Kirstin
In reply to Glyn Jones: Not the kind of advice I was looking for
In reply to tattoo2005: Are you putting a cold compress on at all?
In reply to tattoo2005:
There's loads on this in the rockfax database - do a search on elbows, tendonitis, epicoyndilitis and you'll probably harvest the lot.
Best of luck,
Steve
There's loads on this in the rockfax database - do a search on elbows, tendonitis, epicoyndilitis and you'll probably harvest the lot.
Best of luck,
Steve
In reply to tattoo2005:
In my professional opinion,
It will have been caused by carrying all those fridge magnets around!
Hope it gets better toots x
In my professional opinion,
It will have been caused by carrying all those fridge magnets around!
Hope it gets better toots x
In reply to Atholl de-Saint-Croix: Thanks for the funky sheep one lol! It is now on my fridge along with the other 140 of them, have a great time away and stay safe xx
In reply to tattoo2005:
Has your GP not given you the option of a hydrocortisone injection? I had this about 6 weeks ago and although its still there it seems to have calmed it down a lot. Am back climbing/lifting things again without much trouble.
Has your GP not given you the option of a hydrocortisone injection? I had this about 6 weeks ago and although its still there it seems to have calmed it down a lot. Am back climbing/lifting things again without much trouble.
In reply to tattoo2005:
I was told by a friend of mine (physio and sports therapist) that antiinflammatories wont make any difference as the trauma is microtrauma which is unaffected by those sorts of drugs. The swelling sounds like is a secondary effect of the irritation youre suffering. The pills should take that down but wont necessarily help the tendonitis itself.
It can easily take a minimum of 6 weeks before youll start to see any improvement from my own experience, stick with it, and remember to keep up any stretching youve been given to do, very important for it to heal properly/avoid recurrence.
Hope it feels better soon!
I was told by a friend of mine (physio and sports therapist) that antiinflammatories wont make any difference as the trauma is microtrauma which is unaffected by those sorts of drugs. The swelling sounds like is a secondary effect of the irritation youre suffering. The pills should take that down but wont necessarily help the tendonitis itself.
It can easily take a minimum of 6 weeks before youll start to see any improvement from my own experience, stick with it, and remember to keep up any stretching youve been given to do, very important for it to heal properly/avoid recurrence.
Hope it feels better soon!
In reply to all: Hi folks and thanks for the advice. I went to see a sports injury physio privately today, he is also a climber. He gave me a good massage, therapeutic of course, which was pretty painful, down the muscle that runs down the front of my arm, some ultrasound and exercises to do at home. He also told me to stop taking the Arthrotec as its for joint pain like arthritis rather than tendon damage, christ what a waste of money that prescription was, no wonder the tablets weren't making any difference!!! My arm is feeling a bit better, not quite so tender and the muscle feels slightly looser but I will keep up the exercises. Thanks all for the info, really appreciate it!
Kirstin
xxxx
Kirstin
xxxx
In reply to tattoo2005:
with the other arm!
hehe!
;~)
> (In reply to all) but I will keep up the exercises.
>
> Kirstin
> xxxx
>
> Kirstin
> xxxx
with the other arm!
hehe!
;~)
In reply to tattoo2005: the use of arthrotec is not specifically for joint pain. It will act on any form of inflammation. It is one of a newer generation of NSAID's that is intended to reduce the detremental effect standard NSAID's can have on your stomach. The reason it didnt work is probably due more to the fact that evidence shows there is very little or no inflammatory component to lateral epicondylosis. It is more recently termed an osis instead of an itis due to this fact. I would also be very suspicious about paying to have ultrasound and massage as evidence that shows this to be beneficial is non-existent. However if it is helping then carry on with it. Ensure he has checked your neck as sometimes neural irritation can present as LE also with the guidance of your physio it might be good to start an eccentric loading program. Hope this helps i dont want it to sound like i am bad mouthing professionals but a lot of myths surround LE and the truth is it can be a very hard condition to treat effectively.
In reply to Joe Dove: Thanks for the info Joe. Its getting to the point now where I dont know what to do with it. The muscle that runs down the front of my arm is painful and swollen today, I'm doing everything I am being told by the physio, stretching, ice pack etc but nothing seems to be doing much good and its really starting to get me down a bit.
In reply to tattoo2005:
Chin up. If things ain't working I'd go back to the doc. Is it worth getting a scan to check what's going on with your arm? Is it definitely tendonitis? Cortizone injection might be an option now to calm the swelling & pain?
Chin up. If things ain't working I'd go back to the doc. Is it worth getting a scan to check what's going on with your arm? Is it definitely tendonitis? Cortizone injection might be an option now to calm the swelling & pain?
In reply to Jonny Tee 69: Hey John, caught up with you last night so wont reply lol! Thanks to everyone for the private emails, really helpful and some good info and contact numbers for treatment.
Kirstin
Kirstin
In reply to tattoo2005:
This type of injury takes a very long time to heal. The Arthrotec are fine as it sounds like you have inflammation and it also helps with any discomfort. The physio is fine and if it helps th U/S and massage are fine but not evidence based. Rest is the key and it can take months. Steroid injection can be used but normally only in resistant and prolonged cases. Steroids cause skin and tendon atrophy (thining) so are used in moderation. Hope things improve.
This type of injury takes a very long time to heal. The Arthrotec are fine as it sounds like you have inflammation and it also helps with any discomfort. The physio is fine and if it helps th U/S and massage are fine but not evidence based. Rest is the key and it can take months. Steroid injection can be used but normally only in resistant and prolonged cases. Steroids cause skin and tendon atrophy (thining) so are used in moderation. Hope things improve.
In reply to pmagowan: Its all the conflicting diagnoses I've been getting that has really been giving me the pip to be honest. The doc gave me the tablets but one physio said there was no point in taking them, another physio said the pain was coming from my spine whereas another has said that it IS tendonitis, I've been stretching, icing, everything, but nothing is making any bloody difference, it seems to be as sore as ever. My last great hope is an osteopath who I'm going to see tomorrow, been off work for two weeks already and I'm going out of my mind with bloody boredom. I would just love a definitive diagnosis, definite treatment and to see some sort of improvement regardless of how small it is. Ooooh sorry for ranting lol! Thanks for the info though, its appreciated, really! x
In reply to tattoo2005:
I'd re-iterate the comment that tendons take a very long time to heal. My medial epicondylitis started April 06 and here we are 16 months later after 6 months of physio, 3 cortisone injections and no climbing all last summer, only marginally better. It still feels like one hard session down the wall would see it back to square one.
Anybody got any experience of surgery for elbow tendinosis?
I'd re-iterate the comment that tendons take a very long time to heal. My medial epicondylitis started April 06 and here we are 16 months later after 6 months of physio, 3 cortisone injections and no climbing all last summer, only marginally better. It still feels like one hard session down the wall would see it back to square one.
Anybody got any experience of surgery for elbow tendinosis?
In reply to tattoo2005: No offence Tats, but I reckon you're being too impatient no? (which I do understand) Remember you've only been to see this new Physio last week and with tendonitis, from my experience, and what others are saying it can take months to get better. It's kinda like you're not giving things a chance by flitting from practitioner to practitioner. What you gonna do if the Osteo tells you your hip is out of alignment and it's causing swelling in your brain, which is affecting your elbow (ok exageration) but sometimes too many cooks and all that eh? Personally I'd be giving the new Physio a good few weeks to a month of treatment before I'd say, 'right, that didn't work' and then try something else.
I know it's frustrating though. Gimme a call anyway, and let me know what the Osteo said, and who you've gone too as well?
I know it's frustrating though. Gimme a call anyway, and let me know what the Osteo said, and who you've gone too as well?
In reply to lasonj: Hey sonj! The osteo that I'm going to see was recommended by a few climbers in Aberdeen from this site who have sent me private emails through the forum. I'm still doing the exercises for my back that the first physio gave me as well as all the stretches and advice that the second physio gave me and the swelling has gotten worse for some reason, I would have expected some results surely from doing these exercises four times a day for over a week now? Instead its more swollen than it ever was, its very visible just looking at my elbow joint now. I will definitely let you know how I get on, fingers crossed! xx
In reply to tattoo2005: As above - rest it. Be very patient. It could take a very long time to heal. My advice is to forget about climbing for a while, go cycling, walking or something like that. You don't say how you did it - overtraining or through work? And how is an osteo going to fix a diagnosed tendon problem? Good luck with it but be careful. I know it hurts and is frustrating, but it's far better to lose the rest of this season than all next year as well.
In reply to Ena: I'm trying this guy Ena as between the physios they cant seem to make up their mind what is wrong with me, one is saying back the other is saying tendon. Its been over a month now and I still dont know exactly what is going on and had no definitive diagnosis either. This guy come highly recommended from a few known climbers in the NE so at this point I'm willing to give anything a try, just to find out what the hell is wrong and find some sort of treatment. Thanks for the mail and best wishes x
In reply to tattoo2005: Well, good luck for tommorrow and lets hope you get some definite answers. The physio treatment making the swelling worse certainly doesn't sound too good. All the best! x
In reply to tattoo2005:
Hi, don't want to put a downer on things, but after I got tendonitis, it took probably 9 months to disappear completely, mainly as I'd think it had gone and go climbing......
It took doing something completely different, in my case going to Switzerland skiing for the winter, for it to clear up.
My advice, find something different to do for a couple of months.....cycling, running, hill walking......
Hi, don't want to put a downer on things, but after I got tendonitis, it took probably 9 months to disappear completely, mainly as I'd think it had gone and go climbing......
It took doing something completely different, in my case going to Switzerland skiing for the winter, for it to clear up.
My advice, find something different to do for a couple of months.....cycling, running, hill walking......
In reply to tattoo2005:
mine has gone after being careful but climbing hard!
i grit my teeth and battled through.
dont think anyone should do the same tho
mine has gone after being careful but climbing hard!
i grit my teeth and battled through.
dont think anyone should do the same tho
In reply to philo:
You are too young to have had tendonitis. As for climbing hard, from what I've seen........... nuf sed.
Steve
You are too young to have had tendonitis. As for climbing hard, from what I've seen........... nuf sed.
Steve
In reply to SteveSBlake: you really think age is a factor? I had tendonitis before I was 18! As did my brother... both in our wrists from too much guitar! Many young musicians also get it from over practice. A friends 13yr old currently has it from over practicing. So too young? Not!
In reply to tattoo2005:
It is relatively esy for a GP to diagnose and is common so i think you probably have the right diagnosis. Beware those who gain financially from furthur morbidity. Read the first page of 'The doctos dilema' by George Bernard Shaw to see what i mean.
Rest
Then Rest some more
Then gentle exercise
Then forget about it for 6 months
Maybe i am synical but i think the osteopath will find all kinds of probs with your back. Let us know how it yurns out. Heres hoping for the 'cure'.
It is relatively esy for a GP to diagnose and is common so i think you probably have the right diagnosis. Beware those who gain financially from furthur morbidity. Read the first page of 'The doctos dilema' by George Bernard Shaw to see what i mean.
Rest
Then Rest some more
Then gentle exercise
Then forget about it for 6 months
Maybe i am synical but i think the osteopath will find all kinds of probs with your back. Let us know how it yurns out. Heres hoping for the 'cure'.
In reply to pmagowan:
That should read doctors dilema
That should read doctors dilema
In reply to pmagowan:
And/or tell you that you have one leg longer than the other. Or is that chiropractors?
To the OP: As others have said, rest is very important. My lateral epicondylitis was pretty much cured after six months and two steroid injections, then I set it off all over again by being a bit careless while doing some DIY.
It's now pretty much gone - although do I still get the odd twinge - but it had taken over a year to get to a point where I felt confident about crimping hard with that arm again. During that time I had a total of three steroid injections and lots of visits to the physio involving remedial massage and exercises. I did get ultrasound treatment early on but that didn't seem to help at all. The last half dozen or so physio visits included acupuncture along with the massage. That did seem to help a lot in my case, but I wouldn't go so far as to recommend it to others simply on that basis.
My physio did quite a lot of work on my posture, along with massage and other treatments around my shoulder and neck. Their justification for this was that they suspected that my tennis elbow could be being caused or exacerbated by tightness in muscles in that area, and related problems with the radial nerve. Maybe it's something similar that's causing your two physios to tell you apparently conflicting things? I'd certainly suggest that you mention to each of them what the other has told you, and see if they can come to some kind of agreement as to the best overall package of treatment for you.
Good luck with it, I know from experience how frustrating such an apparently trivial but persistent injury can be.
> Maybe i am cynical but i think the osteopath will find all kinds of probs with your back.
And/or tell you that you have one leg longer than the other. Or is that chiropractors?
To the OP: As others have said, rest is very important. My lateral epicondylitis was pretty much cured after six months and two steroid injections, then I set it off all over again by being a bit careless while doing some DIY.
It's now pretty much gone - although do I still get the odd twinge - but it had taken over a year to get to a point where I felt confident about crimping hard with that arm again. During that time I had a total of three steroid injections and lots of visits to the physio involving remedial massage and exercises. I did get ultrasound treatment early on but that didn't seem to help at all. The last half dozen or so physio visits included acupuncture along with the massage. That did seem to help a lot in my case, but I wouldn't go so far as to recommend it to others simply on that basis.
My physio did quite a lot of work on my posture, along with massage and other treatments around my shoulder and neck. Their justification for this was that they suspected that my tennis elbow could be being caused or exacerbated by tightness in muscles in that area, and related problems with the radial nerve. Maybe it's something similar that's causing your two physios to tell you apparently conflicting things? I'd certainly suggest that you mention to each of them what the other has told you, and see if they can come to some kind of agreement as to the best overall package of treatment for you.
Good luck with it, I know from experience how frustrating such an apparently trivial but persistent injury can be.
In reply to tattoo2005: Your injury is certainly 'acute' if not 'chronic' and clearly is not just your arm; although that is the site of the pain and inflamation there may well be some underlying problem centered on your spine resulting from some weakness caused by an earlier (perhaps months or even years old) accident or other injury.
I would recommend that you rest and ice the problem, you might try Arnica cream (homeopathic remedy that has shown to help reduce swelling, bruising etc/) but most importantly I would recommend you find a good osteopath who will take you through your recent health history and during the first appointment will make a thorough survey of your muscular-skeletal body in an attempt to source the problem that is preventing your arm injury from repairing.
I am not a practioner but I have successfully used an Osteopath to bring me back from near crippling injuries after a severe car accident. Physiotherapy got me back on my feet but couldn't help my body with the underlying weaknesses: my osteo did and has subsequently helped me work through other arm and foot related injury.
I would recommend that you rest and ice the problem, you might try Arnica cream (homeopathic remedy that has shown to help reduce swelling, bruising etc/) but most importantly I would recommend you find a good osteopath who will take you through your recent health history and during the first appointment will make a thorough survey of your muscular-skeletal body in an attempt to source the problem that is preventing your arm injury from repairing.
I am not a practioner but I have successfully used an Osteopath to bring me back from near crippling injuries after a severe car accident. Physiotherapy got me back on my feet but couldn't help my body with the underlying weaknesses: my osteo did and has subsequently helped me work through other arm and foot related injury.
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