Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow is also known as lateral epicondylitis. It is an inflammation of the tendons that join the muscles of the forearm to the outside of the elbow. Tennis elbow is caused by repetitive stress.

The pain is located on the lateral side of the elbow, but pain radiates down the back of your forearm.
Tennis elbow is caused by small tears in the tendons that join the forearm to the outside of the elbow.

Repetitive arm motions weaken arm muscles and tear the tendons that attach muscle to bone.

Causes and risk factors:

●  It can affect both male and females with different age groups but tennis players are at higher risk to develop this condition.

●  Auto mechanics.

●  Chefs are at higher risk

●  Musician

●  Carpenters, painters and plumbers.

●  Dentists.

Risk factors:

● People over the age of 40 years are more prone to get a tennis elbow.

●  People practising repetitive movements of the wrist, forearm for up to 2 hours are at higher risk to get tennis elbow.

●  Obese people are at higher risk.

Symptoms:

●  The most common symptom of tennis elbow is recurring pain on the outside of the upper forearm, just below the bend of the elbow.

●  Pain may also be felt further down the arm, towards the wrist.

●  Pain in the lateral epicondyle or lateral side of forearms. Pain aggravated by certain movements. Movements of the wrist, fingers and forearms trigger the pain.

●  Stiffness of the elbow or forearm

●  Tingling pain in the forearm

●  Numbness of the wrist and forearm

Diagnosis:

● Physical examination of the arm. ● Imaging test: CT scan
● MRI scan

● X-ray to rule out the cause of elbow pain.

● During the physical examination, the patient will be asked to place their forearm at the chair with the palm down and tell the patient to pull the chair, if the person feels pain during pulling the chair that will indicate the positive sign for tennis elbow. If a person will experience pain on the lateral side of the elbow, this will be a positive sign for the lateral epicondylitis.

Management:

● Do proper stretching of forearm
● Stretch fingers and wrist properly
● Posture should be correct
● Stretch before and after activity
● Take proper rest
● Stop the activity immediately if it triggers the pain.

Homoeopathy medicines:

1. Causticum: Causticum has very good results for dull tearing pain in arms and hands. frequent attack of pain in arms and fingers that lasts for a long time or recurrence of pain. Bruised feeling with drawing pain in arms and joints. Pain relieved by warm compression.

Plumbum met: plumbum met is a well indicated remedy for numbness and tingling sensation. It works well when the muscles of fingers and hands start to degenerate. Weakness of hands and fingers are marked. Trembling hands and can not hold a thing. Numbness and tingling sensation.

Ruta: Ruta is one of the best medicines for elbow pain that occurs due to overstraining of the wrist that results in inflammation and causes pain in the hand and elbow. Pain in the hand and wrist is well marked in this medicine.

Rhus tox: Rhus tox is well-indicated medicine where pain occurs due to the overstraining of the muscles and tendons. Stiffness of the inner side of the forearm.