Tennis elbow may sound like something that only a tennis player would get but unfortunately, this type of injury can happen in many different sports and professions. Of course, if you play tennis, you can definitely be susceptible to it and will likely have suffered with this repetitive strain injury in the past.
You may not understand what tennis elbow is but you may very well be living with the symptoms and pain. But what is it all about?
How To Identify This Unique Injury
- Are you a tennis player? Do you work in a job that requires you to use your hands and wrists to grip something or when doing a motion like typing. Really, anyone who has to use their hands continually may find that they have issues with their elbow. If you’re older, you could be more apt to get tennis elbow than a younger person who does the same kind of work as you do.
- Tennis elbow symptoms may show up during times when you’re trying to lift something heavy, raise your arm high, or even when you’re trying to do something as simple as open a door. Even doing something like shaking someone’s hand can be painful, making it difficult for many people to function normally when they have it. If you’re a tennis player, you may find that it is highly challenging to get through a game without pain.
- A person with tennis elbow is going to feel a lot of pain in the elbow area, hence the name tennis elbow. But, pain from tennis elbow is not limited to your elbow. Many people also struggle with pain throughout their whole arm. While the source of pain is the elbow area, due to the strained tendons connecting there, you may find yourself with pain throughout your entire arm.
- As with many issues that have to do with your tendons and joints, there is no specific schedule for when you can feel pain due to tennis elbow. Many people may find that they feel pain while they are working with or using their arm. Others suffer from intense pain at night, which can affect their sleep schedules, which only makes it worse for their pain levels.
- Unfortunately, tennis elbow isn’t something that goes away right away. Even when you do get good treatment for it, it does take time until you see results. You may find that it can take up to a year or more for you to recover from the pain of tennis elbow, but this isn’t always the case.
One way to treat it is with an elbow brace or compression sleeve. 
There are different ways that you can find out if you have tennis elbow. While you may be the kind of person to self-diagnose, it’s probably best that you see a doctor about your pain and what it may be. While the symptoms are pretty easy to recognize, they can still be confused with other issues or may be a result of another type of sickness or injury.
A doctor will typically be able to define what you have through a physical exam. If there is any doubt in their mind, they may decide to do an X-ray to rule out other possibilities. Be sure to try to explain your pain as clearly as possible, which will make it easier for the doctor to know what is going on with you and where the pain stems from.
The quicker they are able to pinpoint what you have, the easier it will be for you to get started on your treatment.You may wonder if treatment is absolutely necessary? The answer is that in most cases where tennis elbow is not treated, people end up developing chronic pain.
If you’ve found that it’s affecting your everyday life and you don’t know how much longer you can function, it’s very important that you seriously consider treatment. Imagine not being able to play the sports you love or do the work that pays the bills?
While it may take an initial investment to see a doctor and get treatment, it will be beneficial for you in the long run.
Final Thoughts
If you have symptoms that make you think that you may have tennis elbow, consider seeing your doctor right away. There are many things that you can allow to heal on their own but unfortunately tennis elbow isn’t one of them. It can even be a challenge for doctors to help you treat it so just imagine how hard it will before you to try to get rid of it on your own.
If you’re tired of the pain and can’t go on with your typical activities, then consider the fact that you may need some professional help. The good news is that with patience and commitment to get better, you can eventually kiss tennis elbow pain goodbye.
