[toc]Mild to moderate tendonitis affects millions of people around the world. Tendonitis is a treatable medical condition. Treatment options include ice therapy, stretching exercises, rest, medication, and proper body posture. Pain and inflammation associated with tendonitis can be treated with analgesics. Duration of treatment depends on the severity of the disease.
Mild tendonitis cures on it’s own with rest. It normally takes 7 to 10 days for mild tendonitis to abate in intensity. However, moderate to severe tendonitis needs proper care with medications and ice therapy. Warm compresses also help in reducing the inflammation of tendons. Let us try to understand more about how to treat tendonitis.
5 Tips To Treat Tendonitis
Ice Therapy
Worth Buying
Ice works great against swelling and inflammation. This is because ice constricts the blood vessels. Consequently, it reduces the flow of blood through capillaries. This helps in reducing swelling. It also helps in reducing the intensity of pain associated with redness due to tendonitis.
You can use an ice pack on the affected region for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Repeat this 3 to 4 times a day for moderate to severe tendonitis. It is wise to avoid applying ice directly on the affected region.
Medications
Pain medications are normally prescribed by doctors for patients suffering from moderate to severe tendonitis. Ibuprofen and naproxen are the most common analgesics used to treat pain associated with tendonitis. Other medications include topical analgesics and anti-inflammatory creams.
Topical muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatory medications are relatively more effective than oral medications. This is because oral medications take time to enter blood stream and treat the condition. However, topical creams work directly on the affected region. In severe cases, physicians may use corticosteroids to treat tendonitis.
Rest
Rest plays a critical role in treating tendonitis. Tendons inflamed due to repeated stress need sufficient rest to heal. If your tendonitis is a result of repetitive work, take off from your work for 10 to 15 days.
This works great for patients who have upper extremity tendonitis due to computer overuse. When we rest, our body stores energy and uses it to treat inflammation and reduce swelling near tendons. In a good majority of cases, tendonitis heals with adequate rest to the affected extremities.
Stretching Exercises
These exercises play an important role in treating tendonitis. There are different types of stretching exercises which help in reducing redness and swelling. Our tendons become stiff due to tendonitis. This stiffness abates in intensity with stretching exercises.
You can consult with a physiotherapist to understand more about the kind of exercises which will help your medical condition. Tendonitis associated with typing and sports activities can be treated with stretching exercises effectively. Physiotherapists may recommend warm compresses after stretching exercises. Warm compresses are known to reduce swelling as well.
Proper Posture
If your job requires you to work for long durations of time without rest, practicing the right body posture helps in reducing tendonitis. This works great for tendonitis associated with typing due to shrugged shoulders. Inflammation near neck, shoulder and wrists reduces significantly with the right posture. It is wise to consider making adjustments to your work table and chair so that they are ergonomically aligned.
Ergonomically designed or arranged furniture is good for treating tendonitis effectively. It reduces swelling by taking away the root cause of tendonitis which is often the poor body posture. Tendonitis has become a very common medical condition. Treatment options include ice therapy, warm compresses, rest, massage and medications. The above-mentioned treatment options are used around the world to treat tendonitis effectively.