About this topic
A tendon is a thick cord that attaches muscle to bone. Tendinopathy is an injury to the tendon. There are different types of tendinopathy. ‚
- Tendinitis ¢ ˆ ’ Has irritation and small tears to the tendon. Some swelling and inflammation may be present.
- Tendinosis ¢ ˆ ’ Is a problem when the tendons break down and likely tear over time. The structure of the tendon in fact changes. There is no swelling or inflammation present.
- Tenosynovitis ¢ ˆ ’ The thin cover around a tendon called the tendon sheath becomes swollen.
- Calcific tendinopathy ¢ ˆ ’ Calcium deposits form in the tendon. This is most common in the shoulder or rotator cuff tendons.
This condition may happen in any tendon. It often happens in the shoulder, elbow, or wrist. Some people have problems in their knee or the back of the heel. ‚
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Rest the painful part. Allow your injury to heal before you do slow movements.
- Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
- Prop the sore part on pillows to help with swelling.
- Compress or wrap the swollen part to help ease pain. The doctor may give you a brace or strap to wear.
- Use inserts for your shoes if your doctor suggests you use them. These are foot orthotics. They may help leg or foot tendon problems.
- Your doctor may suggest an exercise program to build muscle strength. You may need to see a physical therapist.
- Your doctor may use a sling or splint to keep the affected part from moving.
- You may be told to do massage on the sore part.
- Heat may be used later to help with stretching but not right away. Heat can make swelling worse. If your doctor tells you to use heat, put a heating pad on your injured area for no more than 20 minutes at a time. Never go to sleep with a heating pad on as this can cause burns.
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. Your doctor may send you to physical therapy (PT) for treatments such as ultrasound, massage, and exercises to help you heal faster. Your doctor may also send you to a specialist called an orthopedic doctor. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
- Prevent an infection if you had surgery
The doctor may give you a shot of an anti-inflammatory drug called a corticosteroid. This will help with swelling. Talk with your doctor about the risks of this shot. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Tendon ruptures or fully breaks apart
- Ongoing pain
- Problem comes back
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Take breaks often when doing things that use the same movement over and over.
- Stay active and work out to keep your muscles strong and flexible.
- Warm up slowly and stretch before you work out. Use good ways to train, such as slowly adding to how far you run. Do not work out if you are overly tired. Take extra care if working out in cold weather.
- Keep a healthy weight. Being heavy puts more stress on your joints. This makes them more likely to be hurt.
- Eat a well-balanced diet to keep your muscles healthy.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Pain that wont go away even after taking your drugs for pain
- Swelling gets worse
- Health problem is not better or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have more pain or swelling.
Where can I learn more?
NHS Choices ‚
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Tendonitis/Pages/Symptoms.aspx ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚