The clinical or scientific name for tennis elbow is ‘lateral epicondylitis’. Contrary to what most people believe, this is not a condition that is brought about by tennis playing only although most tennis players at one point or another suffer from it. As a matter of fact, most people who suffer this injury know nothing about tennis at all. Generally, the injury is a condition that results from excessive repetitive pressure on the tendons located on the outer part of the elbow. The outer part of the elbow becomes very painful, tender and the arm generally difficult to use. Simple actions like gripping an object, twisting and carrying something becomes almost impossible. The strain caused by the tiny micro-tears on the tendons often result in inflammation and sometimes swelling but these can be treated using several techniques.
Once you notice the initial elbow tendonitis symptoms like finger and wrist movements coordination difficulties, the first thing you need to do is stop the activity you may be engaged in and allow the injured arm to rest in an elevated position. Tennis elbow is usually a very minor injury at the onset but because most initial symptoms go undetected, most sufferers often aggravate the condition and end up having a more serious problem. Continued use of the arm after the injury only worsens it and it may take some time before the more serious symptoms like pain, swelling and inflammation to show.
Apply a pack of ice or frozen peas on the injured area of the elbow for periods of between 10 and 20 minutes every three to five hours to promote the comfort of the region, speed up healing and prevent or reduce swelling and inflammation. Ice is proven medically to be a great counter for most internal and external injuries. As you do this, keep the area elevated to prevent blood from accumulating at the injured area. Even if the injury seems very minor, it is highly recommended you see a doctor at some point to ascertain the healing process and to provide further direction.
It may be necessary to use a tennis elbow braces for two main reasons: First, a brace will ensure that the arm is in proper healing position and that as the tendons heal, the arm will be ready for use normally after the healing period. The second reason is that since the injured arm is most like the predominant arm, a patient is very likely to use it in activities that may hinder healing or aggravate the injury intentionally or accidentally.