What is a tennis elbow (also known as common extensor tendinopathy or lateral epicondylitis)?
Tennis elbow, also called lateral epicondylitis, is a fairly common condition described in patients originally doing racket sports.
This is basically an irritation of the connective tissue which attaches the forearm muscles to the elbow joint.
This is a very common cause of doctor visits with over 150,000 cases seen every year.
Tennis elbow often resolves by itself with application of ice rest and elbow splint and oral anti-inflammatory medication. Acupuncture and physical therapy are also useful as first-line treatments.
The pain is often described as sharp and shooting and localized to the outer part of the elbow. The pain is worsened with carrying any objects with the affected hand and with light pressure on the area.
Interventional therapies for chronic tennis elbow include ultrasound-guided injections utilizing local anesthetic and steroid.
Additional options include the injection of PRP, and amniotic fluid.
In extreme cases surgical decompression may be required.