What Is Tendinitis?
Tendons are thick cords that join your muscles to your bones. When tendons become irritated or inflamed, the condition is called tendinitis. Tendinitis causes acute pain and tenderness, making it difficult to move the affected joint.
Any tendon can develop tendinitis, but you’re more likely to develop it in your shoulder, knee, elbow, heel, or wrist.
Tendinitis may also be called by one of the following names:
- swimmer’s shoulder
- jumper’s knee
- pitcher’s shoulder
- golfer’s elbow
- tennis elbow
What causes tendinitis?
The most common cause of tendinitis is repetitive action. Tendons help you make a certain movement over and over. You may develop tendinitis if you frequently make the same motion while playing sports or working. The risk increases if you perform the motion incorrectly.
- Injury
- Aging
- Certain diseases, such as diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis
- Certain antibiotics
What are the treatment options?
Treatment options for tendinitis help reduce pain and inflammation in the tendon. Some basic home remedies include:
- Resting or elevating the tendon as advised by your doctor
- Applying heat or ice
- Taking medications, such as the pain reliever acetaminophen (Tylenol) and the anti-inflammatory drugs aspirin (Bayer), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn)
- Wrapping the area in a compression bandage until the swelling goes away
- Doing stretches and exercises to build strength and improve mobility in the area.