Have you ever woken up with an inflamed elbow, felt a cramp or pain after a long day of typing, or experienced pain after falling? Sometimes, you may feel somewhat off when encountering such situations. Isn’t it? It might be pretty confusing to identify what caused the pain and what action you need to implement when your elbow is injured. Searching online might show you several options that will leave you wondering what really caused you to experience elbow pain.
A beneficial way to understand this is to consult a healthcare expert and to implement the treatment methods that are needed. In this blog, we’ll explore the effective treatment for tennis elbow pain.
What is the fastest way to cure tennis elbow?
An instant cure for how to treat tennis elbow pain is generally not practical, because it’s an overuse injury that needs time to heal. However, you can relieve or manage pain (mild or severe) by implementing these home remedies for tennis elbow:
Rest and Avoid Pressure
The first and most important step is rest. Continuous elbow motion might be causing strain. Take regular breaks from typing, writing, cleaning, or doing tasks that involve rapid elbow movement. Resting helps your elbow heal naturally, as well as preventing strain, overuse, or further injury.
Ice Therapy
Applying ice is the best remedy for a sprained elbow in the first 24-48 hours. Wrap ice cubes in a cloth and then place them on the swollen area for 15-20 minutes; make sure to do it 3-4 times a day. This reduces swelling and pain naturally.
Compression
Wrapping the elbow with an elastic bandage applies compression and controls swelling. Do not wrap the bandage too tightly, as it may restrict proper blood circulation. Adjust or take off the bandage when sensing discomfort, like irritation, stiffness, or numbness.
Elevation
Keep your elbow raised on a pillow while resting or when doing daily tasks, like typing or writing. This protects your elbow from liquid building up and reduces the chances of swelling.
Warm Compress After 48 Hours
After two days, when pain and swelling have reduced, switch to a warm/heat therapy. A warm cloth or warm water pack enhances blood circulation and helps in faster healing.
Turmeric Paste
Turmeric is widely known for its healing properties. Make a turmeric paste with water and apply it to the painful elbow. It has anti-inflammatory properties that ease pain and swelling.
Garlic Oil Massage
A warm garlic oil massage can really help you relieve pain, as it's an age-old remedy for sprains. Garlic reduces inflammation and improves blood flow. Massage gently around the elbow for relief.
Epsom Salt Soak
Soaking your hand in warm water with Epsom salt can really help you relax your muscles, reduce swelling, and give you the ultimate comfort that you need. Do this once daily for 15–20 minutes.
Proper Elbow Support
Using a wrist brace support or elbow support for pain relief ensures stability and also helps prevent further strain or sprain. If you don’t have a brace, a simple bandage might also work, especially if the pain is mild. Consider Leeford Ortho Tennis Elbow Support, Elbow Support Binder, or Elbow Wrap for effective healing.
Exercises
Regularly do light exercises, like wrist extensor, eccentric wrist extensor, etc, to alleviate pain and swelling and enhance recovery. If the pain doesn’t improve in two or four weeks, your doctor may suggest physical therapy for tennis elbow.
Can tennis elbow heal on its own?
Tennis elbow often goes away on its own, with about 90% of people experiencing symptom resolution within a year, even though the recovery can be slow. While it can resolve spontaneously, treatments like resting the arm, applying ice, taking pain relievers, wearing a brace, or undergoing physical therapy can help manage symptoms and may speed up recovery.
Is heat or ice better for tennis elbow?
In the early stage of tennis elbow, use ice to reduce inflammation or alleviate pain. When the inflammation has reduced, switch to heat to relax the muscles and improve blood flow, which aids in the healing process. You can alternate between ice and heat for combined benefits, but it is crucial to consult a healthcare professional for a personalized plan.
Should I wear a tennis elbow brace all day?
A tennis elbow support is not meant to be worn all day long if you have not been dealing with a severe condition. Your daily activities determine how long you should wear it. Also, you should ask your healthcare provider about when to wear it and when you should remove it.
This gives effective results, as you will be wearing it according to your activity level. Usually, it is worn while doing activities that trigger pain. It may be writing, typing, eating, lifting, throwing, or sports like basketball, handball, or volleyball. It is effective to wear the tennis elbow support during activities and to remove it when you’re resting. This is to allow your elbow muscles to breathe and naturally strengthen.
The severity of the elbow injury can also determine how long you can wear the tennis elbow support. If the pain is mild, you may wear it for a shorter period than when it is frequently aching. Use elbow support binders with skin-friendly materials. You can consider a Leeford Ortho Elbow Support Binder that is made with 4-way stretchable fabrics. Its features help you to wear it during activities without experiencing skin irritations.
If you’re wearing the tennis elbow band correctly with consistency, you’ll notice gradual relief. Here are the tips that you can follow:
- Combine the tennis elbow band with gentle stretches.
- Use an ice pack on the elbow for 10–15 minutes to reduce inflammation.
- Whenever possible, take breaks from repetitive movements.
- Focus on posture and ergonomics, especially if you sit at a desk all day.
How long does tennis elbow take to heal?
The timeline on how to treat tennis elbow is due to several factors, which include:
- Severity of the tennis elbow pain
- Age
- Pre-existing conditions
- Cause of injury
- Healing progress
The healing duration is:
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Mild tennis elbow: 2 to 3 weeks.
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Moderate tennis elbow: 4 weeks to a month to fully recover.
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Severe tennis elbow: Can last up to six weeks, and in some cases, symptoms can last for years.
Consult your healthcare provider to determine the exact condition of your tennis elbow, the conditions necessary for recovery, and the duration of your recovery.
Wrapping Up
Elbow injuries can happen gradually without us noticing until the pain starts to interfere with our daily tasks and comfort. Elbow pain often results from irritation and inflammation in the elbow tendons. An elbow brace helps you heal quickly, ease pain, and stay injury-free. Incorporating an elbow brace together with applying home remedies helps you achieve effective healing results. You can do treatment methods like applying cold and heat therapy, doing hand or elbow exercises, and taking regular breaks from typing, as well as refraining from activities that involve rapid elbow movement.
When choosing the right or best elbow support for wrist pain, consider a Leeford Ortho Tennis Elbow Support. It's a tennis elbow brace that ensures sturdy mobilization and saves you from the hassle of fearing sudden twists or bumps. It is crucial to know that tennis elbow belts are not the only solution to heal elbow pain. All you need to do is follow what your doctor advises, use the right support, and perform pain relief remedies.
