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Epicondylitis

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Epicondylitis

WHAT IS IT?

Pain in the side aspect of the elbow close to the outer epicondyle in the source of the wrist and finger extensor muscles.

Epicondylitis occurs when there is degeneration in the elbow tendons which in the initial stages, tends to lead to spikes of inflammation. This is a pathology which tends to occur both in men and women and the most common age group is 34-54. 

CAUSES

Its cause is unknown yet it is often the result of manual work involving repetitive movements (overwork) or occurs in young sportspeople (tennis elbow).

SYMPTOMS

During clinical examination, touching the epicondyle causes pain which increases with the extension of the wrist against resistance; for instance when lifting a heavy object, opening a door, etc.

TREATMENT

There are different alternative treatments. In the acute phase the following are recommended:

  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication
  • Elbow brace
  • Anti-inflammatory analgesic electrotherapy
  • Mesotherapy
  • Local cryotherapy

In the event that the complaint persists, as alternative treatment, cortico-anaesthetic injections and shockwave treatment can also be recommended.

Conservative treatment with platelet-rich plasma: In cases where your doctor recommends a conservative treatment using plasma (PRP) for the degenerative tendon pathology, this is performed on an outpatient basis and an injection is carried out guided by an ultrasound scanner to locate the source of the damaged tissue and control the injections. In certain cases, the source of the tendonitis may be submitted to scarification with a needle followed by PRP injections. As a rule, no anaesthetic is administered as this is not a painful procedure, although ice is applied after the injections.

Surgical treatment: in the event of the failure of previous treatments, the option of carrying out surgical intervention will be evaluated