Medical Questions » Muscles, Tendons, Ligaments Questions » Question No. 696
| Question: | What is the best treatment for tendonitis? |
| Answer: | Tendons are the ropes of the body. They connect a muscle to a bone, so that when a muscle contracts, the bone is pulled by the tendon. Whenever you see the suffix ' —itis' after a word, it means inflammation. Thus appendicitis is an inflamed appendix, and tonsillitis is an inflamed tonsil. Tendonitis is inflammation of a tendon due to injury or overuse. If you start at a new job, sport or hobby, it is possible to use tendons (and muscles) that cannot stand the new type of repetitive strain. This will result in inflammation and pain in the tendon. It may also be caused by one sudden over-stretching injury of the tendon.
The primary treatment is rest. The affected part may be sttapped, bandaged or even plastered to ensure adequate rest of the tendon. Anti-inflammatory medicines may also be used along with physiotherapy. Physio is particularly valuable on return to work to prevent a recurrence of the problem. In severe or chronic cases, injections of steroids may be given, but these cannot be repeated too frequently.
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