Tendonitis occurs when a tendon becomes inflamed. It’s also a relatively common condition caused by overuse, injury, repetitive movement, or prolonged periods of inactivity. As such, it’s no surprise that over 70,000 adults in the U.S. miss work every year due to tendonitis. Although tendonitis can resolve itself, it can eventually lead to chronic pain as well as a limited range of motion if left untreated. As such, you must receive a proper diagnosis so that you can take steps to manage your condition.
What is Tendonitis?
Tendonitis is a type of tendinopathy, which is a general term for any condition involving tendons. The tendons are thick fibrous cords that attach muscle to bone. Tendons help your muscles move and support your joints, but when they become inflamed and irritated from overuse or injury, it can lead to tendon pain, soreness, swelling, and limited mobility. Tendonitis can affect any of the many tendons in the body; however, it is most common in the shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles because these are the areas where movements are repeated most frequently.
It’s important to note that tendonitis differs from tendinosis, a chronic degenerative condition of the tendon due to repetitive strain and overuse. While tendonitis can often be treated with home remedies or physical therapy, tendinosis often requires medical attention.
Common Types of Tendonitis
Tendonitis is a general term that covers any type of inflammation in the tendon, but there are several common types. These include:
Achilles Tendonitis
This type of tendonitis affects the Achilles tendon, which is located in the back of your ankle. Achilles tendonitis is usually caused by intense physical activity such as running and jumping or spending too much time on your feet during activities like walking and standing. Achilles tendonitis can affect people of any age, but it’s prevalent in athletes who participate in sports involving a lot of running and jumping.
Peroneal Tendonitis
This is a type of tendonitis that affects the two tendons in your lower leg — the peroneus longus and the peroneus brevis. Peroneal tendonitis can be caused by high-impact activities such as running or jumping, but it can also be caused by ankle instability due to an injury or incorrect footwear choices.
Posterior Tibial Tendonitis
This type of tendonitis affects the posterior tibial tendon, which is located on the inside of your foot and ankle. Posterior tibial tendonitis can cause pain and swelling in the arch of your foot and heel, and it’s usually caused by conditions such as flat feet or high arches.
Symptoms of Tendonitis
There are a few common symptoms associated with tendonitis. If you experience one or more symptoms, it’s essential to see your doctor immediately.
- Lump on the Tendon: If you can feel a lump on your tendon, it could be a sign of inflammation or an injury. The lump is caused by the tendon being stretched and strained too much, leading to a tear in the tissue.
- Tendon Swelling: Tendonitis can cause the area around the tendon to swell as a result of the inflammation. The swelling may be accompanied by redness and a feeling of warmth in the affected area.
- Pain and Tenderness: If you have tendonitis, you may experience dull or sharp pain around the affected area. You may also feel tenderness when you press on or move the tendon. This is due to the inflammation of the tissue.
- Decreased Range of Motion: Tendonitis can limit your range of motion, thereby making it difficult to move the affected joint fully. This can lead to stiffness and weakness in the area, making it difficult to perform everyday activities.
Stiffness and Limited Range of Motion
Although it’s normal for people to experience some level of stiffness or reduced range of motion as they age, it may be a sign of an underlying health condition if the issue persists or is causing significant discomfort. When the range of motion of a joint...
Foot Ligament Pain
If we are able to enjoy activities like walking, running, jumping, or climbing stairs, it is thanks to the sophisticated structure of ligaments, tendons, muscles, and bones that make up the foot. But for how resilient this structure is, it isn’t always...
Hand Weakness
Experiencing persistent weakness in your hands can significantly impact your quality of life. If you have weakness in your hands, it can be difficult to perform everyday tasks. It can be especially problematic if you use your hands to perform your job. If you...
A Lump On The Tendon
Tendons are the connective tissues that attach your muscles to your bones. They form a bridge between the two structures, allowing the muscles to move your bones and joints for various tasks, such as walking, running, and lifting objects. Unfortunately, these...
Joint Pain And Swelling
Joint pain is arguably one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints among adults of all ages. But the fact that this condition is so widespread does not mean that it isn't life-limiting, or that it should be overlooked. Joint pain and swelling can cause...
Joint Stiffness And Swelling
Suppose you are experiencing persistent pain throughout your joints that limits your mobility. In that case, you may be encountering joint stiffness and swelling. These challenges can significantly impact your ability to carry out daily life and enjoy the...
Numbness And Tingling In Fingers
Experiencing numbness and tingling in the fingers can be quite unsettling. It can feel like a strange sensation that starts with a subtle loss of feeling, followed by a tingling or “pins and needles” effect that can range from mild to intense. Over time,...
Tendon Pain Behind Knee
Tendons are the fibrous tissues connecting your muscle to your bone. They enable the muscle to move the bone by contracting. When a tendon is damaged or overworked, it can cause pain in the back of your knee, which can be very uncomfortable and debilitating....
Tingling Sensation in Hands and Feet
Paresthesia is the medical term to describe a tingling sensation in parts of the body, most notably in the hands or feet. It can manifest as a prickling feeling, numbness, burning, and shooting pain. Although these sensations are usually harmless, they can...
Tendon Swelling
Tendons are the tough bands of fibrous connective tissue that attach muscles to bones. They are essential for movement and stability of all limbs and joints, as well as taking some of the impact when we do forceful...
Hot Or Warm Joint
A warm joint occurs when the temperature of your joint is warmer than usual. This can feel like a heat sensation coming from the joint itself, which is often accompanied by swelling, redness, and pain. It could be a sign of an underlying infection if you’re...
Tenderness And Pain When Touched
The signs and symptoms of tenderness and pain vary depending on the underlying cause. Generally, people who suffer from this type of sensation will feel an overwhelming discomfort when their skin is touched or pressed against something. This pain may be...
Tendon Pain
When you are suffering tendon pain and inflammation, it not only causes discomfort but can directly impair normal mobility. The level of impact will vary based on the affected tendon but activities such as running, walking, lifting objects, or using fine...
Neck Tendon Pain
Neck pain is incredibly common. In fact, it was reported that nearly three out of 10 people in the general population experienced some sort of neck pain in 2019. So, if you're dealing with neck tendon pain, especially on the left side, understand that you're...
Calf Tendon Pain
Calf tendon pain is as common as it is impactful. If you are a runner, gym enthusiast, or professional athlete, suffering from pain in your calf can affect your...
Pain In Hand And Wrist
Hand and wrist pain can impact day-to-day activities and make it hard to complete necessary tasks. It may be challenging to grip or lift objects, write, type on a computer, or even perform simple everyday tasks like brushing your teeth. Even the most mundane...
Causes of Tendonitis
There are many potential causes of tendonitis, including:
- Strenuous Activities: Any activity that puts an excessive strain on your tendons can cause tendonitis. This includes activities like running, jumping, or lifting heavy objects.
- Poor Posture: Maintaining poor posture over a long period of time can lead to strained and inflamed tendons, especially near the shoulders, neck, and hips.
- Certain Medications: Some medications, such as steroids and antibiotics, can interfere with your body’s natural healing process and cause tendonitis due to weak or damaged tendons.
- Repetitive Movements: Any repetitive motion or activity can cause tendonitis. This includes typing, playing a musical instrument, and gardening.
- Injury or Trauma: Any trauma to the tendon, such as a sudden fall or a blow to the area, can cause inflammation and irritation.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: This autoimmune condition can cause tendon inflammation by attacking the body’s tissues.
Treatment Options
Traditional doctors will often recommend one or more of the following treatment options to patients who have been officially diagnosed as having tendonitis:
Immobilization
For less severe cases, immobilization techniques such as wraps or splints can help reduce inflammation and protect the tendon from further injury by limiting movement.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy can be done to help strengthen and stretch the affected muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Doing so can help to reduce pain and improve mobility. Physical therapy can also help to prevent future episodes of tendonitis.
NSAIDs
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are meant to reduce pain and inflammation. However, these medications won’t heal the tendon; they’ll only help manage symptoms. Not to mention, the more often you use NSAIDs to treat your pain, the less effective they’ll become over time.
Orthopedic Surgery
In severe cases, a doctor might recommend orthopedic surgery to repair the tendon. This type of surgery is typically used when other treatments have failed to provide relief from the symptoms. This type of surgery involves repairing the tendon and can often be done with minimally invasive techniques. However, like all surgical procedures, there are risks involved. For example, complications from surgery may include infection, blood clots, and nerve damage. Not to mention, surgery tends to be expensive and can result in long recovery times.
The Neurofunctional Pain Management Approach To Tendonitis Pain
Simply treating the symptoms will only provide short-term relief from tendonitis pain. It’s why the Neuragenex NFPM implements a Neurofunctional Pain Management approach, which means that our team of experts is not only focused on treating the symptoms but also on identifying and addressing the underlying cause of your pain. This approach allows us to treat your pain at its source and provide long-lasting relief.
Additionally, our protocol takes a whole-person approach to pain management using a variety of modalities that are non-invasive, non-surgical, and drug-free, meaning that there are no dangerous side effects associated with the treatments. The following are the treatment solutions we use to provide long-term relief from chronic tendonitis pain:
Electroanalgesia
Electroanalgesia is a pain management technique that uses high-pulse electrical current to ease pain, boost blood circulation, improve mobility, and induce...
IV Therapy
IV nutritional therapy, or intravenous therapy, involves administering vital nutrients directly to the bloodstream through an IV. This type of treatment bypasses the digestive system, allowing for maximum absorption and utilization of nutrients by the...
Lifestyle Counseling
Lifestyle counseling is an approach to managing chronic pain that involves identifying, assessing, and modifying lifestyle factors contributing to an individual's pain. For example, lifestyle factors such as nutrition, physical activity, stress, sleep quality...
Conquer Tendonitis And Embrace Optimal Healing
We know that tendonitis can be debilitating and interfere with your daily life. That’s why our team is dedicated to providing the best possible care to help you regain control over your life. Using a Neurofunctional Pain Management approach allows us to identify and address the root cause of your pain while providing you with drug-free, non-invasive therapies to help reduce inflammation and provide long-term relief.
So, if you’re ready to conquer your tendonitis and embrace optimal healing, contact us today to learn more about our innovative approach. Together, we will create a personalized treatment plan to help you find the relief you’ve been searching for.
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