Tennis Elbow Advice

keli77 · 07/12/08 - 17:12

Has anyone here suffered from tennis elbow?? I have been to the docs & been told I have it, & am taking paracetamol & diclofenac (sp?) but they dont seem to be doing much! So does anyone here have any remedies or tips for dealing with it? I am trying to avoid having this injection the doctor mentioned when i saw him, I have a fear of needles as it is & apparently its quiet painful when its done! Any advice would be appreciated!

EDIT- Just to add i dont play tennis so i dont need advising to stop playing!

[Deleted User] · 07/12/08 - 17:23

Yes I have. It's very painful and taking tablets won't cure it.

There are very specific exercises you need to do which will eventually cure it but you need a physio to teach you what to do.

Good luck

keli77 · 07/12/08 - 17:24

Well i wish the doc had said! He seemed so disinterested when i saw him, he didnt even prescribe anything, i am taking the tablets off my own back! Think i might go back & see my own doc, who wasnt available the other day! Thanks for the advice!

[Deleted User] · 07/12/08 - 17:39

In my experience a physiotherapist usually knows more than your GP about stuff like this. There are loads listed in the phone book but you'd have to pay for a consultation unless you can get referred to a NHS one. Frankly I think it's worth the outlay. Sometimes elbow pains can be referred pain from the neck or shoulder and a physio will know if this is the case. One or two consultations might be all that's needed to sort out the problem.

If you're not satisified with the treatment you've had go back to the doc or maybe see another doctor in the practice.

pamuela · 07/12/08 - 18:08

I have had tennis elbow in the past, and think it was caused by RSI due to my employment as a checkout assistant then as a hotel housekeeper.

I was also prescribed Diclofenic, which I found to be of no use.
Like you, I had a dislike of injections, despite being a blood donor.

I finally decided to accept my GP's advice and had a cortisone injection, that was initially quite painfull, but not as painfull as the months I had endured sleepless nights and constant discomfort from the tennis elbow.

It took a few days to take effect but (touch wood) my elbow has not given me trouble again.

My advice to you is that you go for the injection.

Also, I suggest you take at least 1500mg of Glucosamine Sulphate per day, available online at www.healthydirect.com and other places.

I poo poo'ed Glucosamine at first until I persisted, now I start to get pain if I stop taking them.
Also, my trainee nurse daughter, aged 21, swears by them to keep her back injuries at bay.

Hope this helps keli77

keli77 · 07/12/08 - 18:33

pamuela wrote: »

I have had tennis elbow in the past, and think it was caused by RSI due to my employment as a checkout assistant then as a hotel housekeeper.

I was also prescribed Diclofenic, which I found to be of no use.
Like you, I had a dislike of injections, despite being a blood donor.

I finally decided to accept my GP's advice and had a cortisone injection, that was initially quite painfull, but not as painfull as the months I had endured sleepless nights and constant discomfort from the tennis elbow.

It took a few days to take effect but (touch wood) my elbow has not given me trouble again.

My advice to you is that you go for the injection.

Also, I suggest you take at least 1500mg of Glucosamine Sulphate per day, available online at www.healthydirect.com and other places.

I poo poo'ed Glucosamine at first until I persisted, now I start to get pain if I stop taking them.
Also, my trainee nurse daughter, aged 21, swears by them to keep her back injuries at bay.

Hope this helps keli77

Thanks alot for this, i will try some of that, especially considering i suffer with my back as well. Will also consider the injection lol!

snowy ghost · 07/12/08 - 20:16

or rub ibobrufen type gel into for immediate relief

[Deleted User] · 07/12/08 - 20:20

I've not had tennis elbow but have recently suffered an elbow injury, NHS were completely useless, ended up going to a private physio who is amazing, she gives me exercises and stretches to do which have all really helped. She also recommends using either hot water bottles or hot packs to ease it. Don't know if this helps at all, but I think what I'm trying to say is definately would recommend seeing a physio.:)

DaisyBumbleroot · 07/12/08 - 20:28

yes i have and i had to lay off the PC for about 6 months

keli77 · 07/12/08 - 20:50

DaisyBumbleroot wrote: »

yes i have and i had to lay off the PC for about 6 months

That will be impossible for me, i use my pc all the time at work! Trying not to use the bad arm at home though on the laptop!

fondantfancy · 07/12/08 - 21:40

I've had tennis elbow and it's very painful - it only got better when I reduced my hours at work (physical job).

I knew someone who worked on a computer all day, she knew that her tennis elbow was caused by the set up of her chair and desk etc but her boss was too mean to do anything about it. She changed to another identical job and the ergonomic set up meant that her tennis elbow went completely.

Make sure that the set up at work is as good as possible - I had a quick Google and found this, I'm sure there's more.
http://www.healthycomputing.com/health/discomfort/elbows/index.html

All the best.

upnunder · 07/12/08 - 21:47

Taking Diclofenac and Paracetomol will only mask the pain, not stop it.

The root cause is damaged tendons, rest is the cure.

[Deleted User] · 08/12/08 - 00:18

Hi- I suffered a very bad case of tennis elbow. Please have the injection. If it's a steroid one you could find that the condition disappears almost overnight, and it's not painful. Mine was so bad I couldn't even lift a tea-cup. The only real cure is rest but you can buy a band which you put around your arm and tighten, just below the elbow. They are intended as a support against this type of condition and work by using the pressure point-similar to those used in acupuncture. Even though it is a couple of years since it cleared up I still use my pressure bands as I feel they are of definite benefit. I don't know how you got your tennis elbow but it is a condition of over-use; or if you hurt one bit you could have changed the way you do something to compensate and caused it that way. Can I just say that if I'd been offered injections more quickly then I wouldn't have had to suffer so badly for so long- it took 2years to clear up. Best Of luck!

Juliamidlands · 08/12/08 - 01:10

I expected someone to reply to this with 'Stop playing tennis' lol

I am guessing rest and painkillers and as someone has suggested perhaps Ibuprofen gel?

[Deleted User] · 08/12/08 - 13:48

Ok so I have booked my OH for his first Physio appoint - I am totally by-passing the anti-immflams and painkillers...see I do listen to my DS advisors and i didn't even start this thread!!

smartpicture · 08/12/08 - 17:37

I had tennis elbow for 2 years. I couldn't turn a tap on or pick up a kettle without immense pain, it was so bad. I tried everything - cortisone injection, physio every other day, tablets, tens, acupunture, strange bracelets from the middle east, everything possible! Several methods offered temporary relief, but the only thing that cured it was resting it. Totally. Which meant wearing a sling most of the day to physically stop me from automatically using it. If you carry on with the same actions that caused the problem, whether its playing tennis or anything else, you're asking for trouble.

keli77 · 11/12/08 - 17:52

Thanks for all the advice everyone, the pain has got severely worse this week so went back to the docs ready to have the injection but he didnt recommend it, he says it makes it worse for some people! Instead he has signed me off work for a week to start, refered me for physio & has given me a letter to take to the hospital to get an arm band to release the pressure! Work arent happy that i am gonna be off though!

Hey there!

Quick Links

Tennis Elbow Advice

Comments