Facts on Tendonitis

Tendonitis means inflammation of a tendon – the tissue that connects muscle to bone.

In this article:

What is tendonitis?

Causes

Treatment

Symptoms

Diagnosis

How Chemist Online can help

What is tendonitis?
Tendonitis is a condition that can occur in any part of the body where muscle connects to bone. When the tendon becomes inflamed – usually due to overuse – tendonitis develops. Tendonitis can be very painful and debilitating, making even simple everyday tasks, such as making a cup of tea difficult.

The good news is that with the appropriate treatment tendonitis can heal quickly, often over just a few days.

Symptoms
Symptoms of tendonitis (in and around the affected area) can include:

pain

tenderness

stiffness

swelling

redness and lumps along the tendon

reduced movement and weakness, and

warmth of the tendon’s overlying skin

Causes
Causes of tendonitis can include:

A sports-related injury – such as tennis elbow where, for tennis players, the condition is usually a direct result of repetitively hitting countless tennis balls over many years – possibly from childhood, or as a result of an equipment-related issue, such as: using a tennis racquet that is too big, or playing with tennis strings strung too taut.

Tendon overuse during everyday tasks – as a result of lots of writing with a pen or word processor keyboard, ironing a mountain of washing each afternoon, or over-practicing a musical instrument, such as a classical guitar.

Increased tendon and muscle activity at an unnatural rate – for example, where an exercise programme is suddenly made more intense in an effort to lose weight or prepare for a marathon, and the tendons are simply unable to cope with the new demands placed upon them.

Suddenly pulling a tendon through overstraining, digging or carrying a heavy object (this cannot only cause tendonitis in the hands but also in the shoulders, back and legs).

Diabetes – people with diabetes often suffer from tendonitis, but the reason for this is as yet unknown.

Infection – through bacteria infecting a skin wound, for example.

Rheumatoid Arthritis – where the sheath surrounding the tendon becomes inflamed

Through ageing – the elderly often develop tendonitis due to their tendons growing weaker and losing their elasticity as part of the ageing process.

Some cases of tendonitis are inexplicable, however, with the person suffering from the condition being unable to account for the cause of their tendon pain at all.

Diagnosis
If you suffer from any of the aforementioned symptoms and think you may have tendonitis, arrange an appointment with your GP. After taking your medical history and asking you some questions about your symptoms, he or she will examine the affected area and recommend an appropriate treatment. You may also have an X-ray, an ultrasound or MRI scan to check for things such as calcium deposits around the tendon, and the extent to which the tendon sheath is inflamed.

You may have a blood test if your GP suspects that a bacterial infection is the cause.

Treatment
Treatments for tendonitis can include:

Physiotherapy – if rest, firm splints around the affected area, and ice packs have not improved your condition

Anti-inflammatory painkillers (see How Chemist Online can help section below)

Steroids – administered as an injection to reduce inflammation

A course of antibiotics if the tendonitis has been caused by a bacterial infection

Note: Where none of the above treatments prove successful, the releasing of a tendon through surgery is sometimes considered as a final option.

How Chemist Online can help
Through this website we have a range of treatments available to buy that can help relieve the symptoms of tendonitis, such as: Paracetamol Soluble Tablets and Anadin Paracetamol Tablets which provide fast, effective relief from aches and pains.



Also, with tendonitis it is very important that you rest the affected area until your symptoms clear up and the inflammation settles. A good way to do this is to use a supportive bandage or sling, such as the Safe & Sound Crepe Bandage, or Tubigrip bandages which we also have available to buy.



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This information and advice is not intended to replace the advice of your GP or chemist. Chemist Online is also not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based upon the content of the Chemist Online website. Chemist Online is also not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites.


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