Symptoms

Painful tenderness at or near a joint, especially around a shoulder, wrist, or heel (where it is known as Achilles tendinitis), or on the outside of an elbow (where it is called tennis elbow).

In some cases, numbness or tingling.

Stiffness that, along with the pain, restricts the movement of the joint involved.

Occasionally, mild swelling at the joint.

Persistence of the soreness, which may last or recur long after the tendon has had time to recover from the original injury.

Call Your Doctor If

Your pain doesn’t ease up in seven to 10 days. You want to avoid letting chronic tendinitis set in; moreover, you may have another problem such as bursitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, phlebitis, or tenosynovitis.

Your pain is extremely severe and is accompanied by swelling and loss of function. You may have a ruptured tendon, which requires immediate medical attention.

Caution: If you have suffered a stroke or have diabetes, circulatory problems, or heart disease, avoid massage and applications of heat or cold until you consult your doctor.

Tendinitis is an inflammation in or around a tendon, which is a cable of fibrous tissue that connects a muscle to a bone and transmits the force the muscle exerts. Tendons are designed to withstand bending, stretching, and twisting, but they can become inflamed because of overuse, disease, or injuries that leave them with torn fibers or other damage. The pain can be significant, and it will worsen if the damage progresses because of continued use of the joint. Most tendinitis heals in about two weeks, but chronic tendinitis can take more than six weeks to improve, often because the sufferer doesn’t give the tendon time to heal.

Herbal Beauty

Treatment Options

The goal of treatment is to restore movement to the joint without pain and to maintain strength in surrounding muscles while giving the tissues time to heal. Adequate rest is crucial. Returning too soon to the activity that caused the injury can lead to chronic tendinitis or torn tendons.

Ayurvedic Medicine

A paste of Indian bdellium applied directly to the affected area can help soothe the pain of tendinitis.

Body Work

The Alexander technique—which teaches patients how to maintain good body alignment and reduce muscle tension—can have a healing effect on chronic tendinitis. The Feldenkrais method, Rolfing, and Aston-Patterning are other bodywork techniques that may also help heal chronic tendinitis.

Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture, if performed by a qualified practitioner, can be useful in treating tendinitis. A number of Chinese herbal liniments can also soothe tendinitis pain, including Po Sum On Medicated Oil, Tieh Ta Yao Gin (Traumatic Injury Medicine), and Zheng Gu Shui. Chinese herbalists might prepare a poultice of gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides), flour, and wine, which, together with tui na—a type of massage that uses the ball of the thumb to manipulate the area—may help to reduce swelling and to increase circulation.

Herbal Therapies

For pain, a naturopathic practitioner might suggest white willow (Salix alba), the natural form of aspirin, taken orally. Try comfrey (Symphytum officinale) salve, applied two or three times a day, to help relieve inflammation and to strengthen the tendon. Bromelain, an enzyme found in pineapples, is sometimes taken orally with the aim of reducing inflammation in soft tissues; bromelain should not be taken with meals, so take it at least 30 minutes before, or two hours after, eating.

Hydrotherapy

Use alternating hot and cold compresses: Soak one washcloth in hot water and another in cold. Wring out the warm cloth and place it over the affected area for three minutes; follow with the cold cloth for 30 seconds. Alternate them two more times, finishing with a cold cloth. Do this once or twice a day, as needed.

Or try a hot vinegar pack: Heat equal parts vinegar and water, then soak a towel in the mixture. Wring it out and apply it to the affected area for five minutes. Remove it, then apply a cold one for five minutes. Cover with wool. Repeat these hot- cold applications three times, finishing with cold.

Massage

If performed by a skilled practitioner, massage can help relieve tendinitis and promote the proper healing of the affected tissues; the friction technique is particularly effective for chronic tendinitis.

Nutrition and Diet

Research suggests that vitamin supplements may help heal tendinitis. Ask your doctor about taking daily supplements of vitamin C (1,000 mg), beta carotene (vitamin A, 10,000 IU), zinc (22.5 mg), vitamin E (400 IU), and selenium (50 mcg).

Home Remedies

Try the RICE treatment: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Rest mainly means not using the joint, especially not for the same action that injured it. For ice, a bag of frozen vegetables will do if no ice pack is handy. Compression is best provided by an elastic sports bandage wrapping the area snugly, but not painfully tight. For elevation—to reduce fluid pressure in the injured area—put your ankle on a footstool or lift your elbow onto a chairside table.

Prevention

Include warmups, cooldowns, and stretches in your exercise routine. Vary your exercises, and gradually increase their level of difficulty.

Tendinitis on the Job

If your tendinitis it caused by tasks you perform at work and you cannot rest your injuries while keeping up with your duties, ask your supervisor for help in moding your work habits. You may want to request a work-site inspection by an ergonomics specialist, who can analyze the situation and suggest changes. Try some stretches before and after work, and plan to take a five- to 10- minute period each hour to rest the injured area by undertaking tasks that do not involve its use.

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Tendinitis Home Remedies