Caused by inflammation or pain around a joint, tendinitis can be treated with many methods including rest, medication and even surgery in extreme cases. Treatment aims at rebuilding scar tissue around the affected zone, a process which can take from less than a month to more than a year for complete healing.
Self-Treatment
Restrict movement of the body part that has been affected by tendinitis and allow it to rest for a minimum of 3 weeks. If the tendinitis is not too severe, this will give enough time for healing of the condition. For the first couple of days, regular application of ice packs will provide pain relief, too.
Braces and Medication
When you go to the doctor for professional advice, he might recommend the wearing of braces on the knee, wrist, ankle or heel or a sling on the arm for more effective treatment and future prevention of tendinitis. The braces will offer support to the tendon of the affected area and limit movement, thereby rehabilitating the joint. This mode of treatment is incomplete without rest. Doctors might also advise the administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen for relief from moderate pain due to tendinitis.
Getting Massaged
The doctor might advise you to get a regular massage for a few weeks from an experienced masseuse or masseur, preferably someone who has earlier dealt with tendinitis patients. You have to be sure of the person's credentials and expertise as any wrong movement or kneading might aggravate your condition. This method of treatment is gradually gaining momentum in tendinitis healing and pain relief.
Injections
In some cases, where medicines, rest and immobilization have failed, the doctor might also recommend the administration of peritendinous lidocaine or corticosteroid injection around the affected area to cure the condition. But you must take care to ensure that the injection does not go directly into the tendon as that might cause it to rupture, leading to worsening of the complaint.
Ultrasound Therapy and Surgery
The medical practitioner might advise the use of ultrasound techniques for relief from tendinitis pain. In this method, doctors make use of highly vibrating sound waves to heighten blood circulation to break down affected scar tissue and make the tendinitis-affected zone soft. This method can be used also for phonophoresis which allows nutrients to reach deeper down into the tissue and provides relief from local pain. In extreme cases where tendinitis cannot be treated using any other method, surgery is advised as the last option.
Recuperation
For recovery after 3 weeks of prescribed rest, start slow movements of the area, get used to lifting light weights and get regular physiotherapy sessions to get back to normal activity as soon as possible.
