The tendons in the elbow act as the connecting tissue between the muscles and the bones. They also help movements in the elbow joint by transferring force from the muscles to the bones. Tendons are made of strong fibrous tissues and have high elasticity. Since the tendons in the elbow are used for almost every movement (like lifting, pulling, flexing etc.) of the hand, it is quite usual that, with age, some amount of wear and tear takes place. The condition of pain and inflammation of tendons is often termed as tendinitis. Tendinitis is mostly a result of unaccustomed and forced activity of tendons – for example, sudden stress, severe exertion, over exercise of tendons. Tendinitis is often visible after a certain age, though some other external influences may cause a premature arrival.
The common symptoms are mild to severe pain, inflammation, and sometimes swelling of the affected area. As a result, movements of the hand (like bending, stretching, and lifting) become extremely painful and difficult.
The most important thing to do when you experience pain and inflammation in your elbow tendons is to give your hand good rest. You should also ensure that the hand is protected from any undue exertion. Avoid any movement that causes difficulty or pain. You can apply ice packs to subside the inflammation. Ice packs can sooth tendons, check swelling, and reduce the inflammation. Applying and ice pack for 15-20 minutes should be good to give some relief from pain. An opposite yet effective treatment is to apply some heat to the area of pain. For this treatment, you can heat up a wet towel and press it on your elbow joint. After some time, when the heat dissipates, you can reheat and reapply the towel on the joints. Repeat this procedure for about half an hour. This procedure will relax the muscle joints and give relief from pain. You can also undertake some mild exercises to deal with tendinitis. However, it is important not to do any exercise that further aggravates the condition. It is, therefore, best to consult a physician before following any exercise routine. Also, you can try a course of anti-inflammatory drugs prescribed by a physician to reduce the pain and discomfort.
It is always better to start taking precautionary measures with the first sign of tendinitis. Always warm up before doing a physical activity, take short quick breaks from your work so that the body gets time to relax, follow proper posture while you work. If you overlook the initial symptoms, the condition might turn severe, and you may need to undergo special medication, physiotherapy, or surgery.