- According to the Mayo Clinic, the first step to relieving pain caused by swelling and inflammation is an over-the-counter medication like ibuprofen, aspirin or naproxen. These medications work by reducing inflammation.
For more severe pain, your doctor may inject a corticosteroid around your elbow tendon. Injections of cortisone reduce inflammation and can help ease pain. A corticosteroid solution is an alternative treatment to an injection. Your doctor or physical therapist will apply a topical cream to your elbow and, through a process called iontophoresis, the ointment will be absorbed by the tendon via a gentle electric current. - Allowing your elbow to rest will also give the tendon time to heal. You can do this by avoiding lifting heavy items and refrain from playing sports, especially golf, tennis and baseball. Even swimming will exacerbate tendinitis in the elbow. Typically, two to three days of rest will give your elbow enough time to heal on its own.
- For a mild to moderate case of elbow tendinitis, the Mayo Clinic suggests a physical-therapy program to strengthen the muscles surrounding the joint. Your therapist will design a specific, non-impact exercise routine that targets the force-absorbing muscle and tendon unit in your elbow.
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases suggests using an ice pack or ice massage to relieve the pain and swelling from an acute onset of elbow tendinitis. If your condition is chronic, however, this method will not produce successful results.
previous post