In most cases, tendonitis is caused by the prolonged repetition of an otherwise innocent movement. It can be triggered by cleaning, window cleaning, typing, or even using a mouse while playing a computer game, or by gardening in the spring or autumn (raking, digging, pruning, hoeing), etc. The result can be pain that prevents movement. Let’s look at what you can do to reduce pain and eliminate inflammation.
Tendons play an important role in the function of your muscles. Tendons attach muscle to bone, help transfer force and delay premature muscle fatigue.
The tendons run in tunnel-like sheaths. This is the tendon sheath, which contains a sac-like substance that helps the tendon move frictionlessly.
If you repeat a movement over a long period of time or subject it to a sudden load that is greater than usual, the tendon sheath can become inflamed. Pain may occur, preventing you from performing the movement. Even holding and holding a glass of water can cause problems.
Forms of tendonitis
Tendonitis can be fibrinous or purulent.
Fibrinous tendinitis typically affects people who do prolonged monotonous work (typists, cashiers, pianists, etc.). Repetitive, monotonous movements trigger it, leading to inflamed and swollen tendon sheaths. It primarily affects finger tendons (back of the hand), causing severe pain during finger movement, clumsiness, sensitivity to pressure, warmth, and swelling, with a snowdrop-like rubbing sensation when moving fingers.
Purulent tendonitis can be caused by infection and can occur after pricking with a splinter, thorn or needle. It starts with severe pain and tenderness. The area becomes red and swollen, which may spread to adjacent fingers and the back of the hand. In severe cases, purulent tendonitis may be accompanied by high fever and chills.
It is important to act in time because in case of purulent inflammation, healing and preservation of the finger’s function can only be ensured by timely medical treatment! In contrast, fibrinous inflammation is less dangerous but no less painful.
Treatments for tendonitis
If you suspect you have tendonitis, see your doctor first. If you are sure it is not pus, you can treat it at home.
- First, put your wrist at rest, i.e. stop doing any work or movement that causes pain.
- Cool the area. Use an ice pack or simply put ice cubes in a bag and treat with that.
- You can use over-the-counter anti-inflammatory creams and medications.
Physical therapy solutions that you can use at home:
- TENS treatment is a drug-free and side-effect-free method of pain relief. Although it quickly relieves pain for a while, it has no curative or anti-inflammatory effect.
- Ultrasound therapy ultrasound therapy is effective in reducing inflammation. Ultrasound therapy stimulates the healing process in your body, meaning it works slowly over a few days.
- Microcurrent Microelectrical current (MENS) treatment is a form of electrotherapy. It has a strong analgesic effect and stimulates the production of energy by the cells, which is essential for the healing of inflammatory processes.
- The soft laser treatment is more effective and faster in reducing inflammation than ultrasound, but soft laser devices are more expensive. However, it has the advantage of being longer lasting than ultrasound.
- You can use magnetotherapy to treat soft tissue injuries (muscle, joint, tendon, ligaments). It requires longer treatments and produces slower effects than those mentioned earlier.