Types of Tennis-Elbow Injections
Though the effects of this condition are felt within the elbow, tennis elbow is actually an injury of the tendons in your forearm. When you move your hand and wrist, it produces a muscle contraction within your forearm. Over time, repeated contractions can place a strain on those tendons attached to the muscle, causing irritation, inflammation and even tearing that often prompts pain along the elbow. For most people, self-care measures can really help treat the condition, but, if your pain is too great or elbow motion is limited, you may need a more aggressive approach to care. This may include a series of injections to reduce the associated pain and inflammation.
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Cortisone
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One of the more common injections used in the treatment of tennis elbow is a prescription corticosteroid called cortisone. This is typically administered by a medical professional to reduce inflammation and thereby alleviate pain. However, cortisone alone won't cure your tennis elbow; it'll only bring you relief. To truly treat your condition, rest and physical therapy are often needed.
Prednisone
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Another common injection used in the treatment of tennis elbow is also a corticosteroid known as prednisone. And much like cortisone, this prescription medication is usually administered in your doctor's office. Prednisone should reduce any swelling within the affected area and help to soothe pain. But, this steroidal anti-inflammatory is only a tool to bring you relief, and you'll need additional treatment to actually remedy the condition.
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Dexamethasone
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Dexamethasone is another drug that falls within the classification of steroids used in the treatment of tennis elbow. What this type of medication serves to do is impede the release of enzymes that cause inflammation. When these enzymes are blocked, you should feel a lessening of pain. But much like the other steroidal drugs, this too won't cure your tennis elbow.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)
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A relatively new injection used to treat tennis elbow is something called platelet-rich plasma. Often referred to as simply PRP, blood is first drawn from your unaffected arm. It is separated into a solution rich in your own platelets that is then injected into the tendon suffering from tennis elbow. As you go through physical therapy, the rate of recovery is often greater than without this type of injection. Over a six-month period, people using this PRP saw an improvement in pain by 81 percent.
Aspiration
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Though not truly an injection, some case of tennis elbow may require the insertion of a needle into the affected area to aspirate it, or remove excess fluids (or even air) that have built up within the injured tendon. This can often reduce both inflammation and pain associated with tennis elbow.
Other Corticosteroids
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While cortisone, prednisone and dexamethasone are some of the more common corticosteroids, your doctor may use another type of steroidal injection to relieve the inflammation and pain associated with this condition.
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