Hot or Cold? Demystifying Tendinitis Treatment

Tendinitis is diagnosed by a medical provider finding tenderness directly over a tendon, pain with movement of muscles and tendon and swelling of the tendon. The pain may be a slow progressive pain that builds with continued use or a sudden and severe pain at the time of injury. Motion can be lost and is most commonly seen in the shoulder area referred to as a frozen shoulder. It can be caused by a multitude of activities from tennis to shoveling a driveway. There is no one particular cause but repetitive, relatively minor impacts to the same location are what cause a majority of the cases.

Tendinitis can occur anywhere there is a tendon. A tendon is the thick cord that attaches a bone to the surrounding muscle. The most common places for tendinitis to occur are in the wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee and Achilles. Wrist tendinitis is seen often with painters, people who use a scrubbing motion and pitchers. Most often in the wrist it is inflammation of the tendon sheath. After icing the area the best treat is resting the wrist and avoiding activities that will only aggravate the wrist.

Achilles tendinitis is occurs in the back of the heel. If not careful and re-aggravate this area it can result in serious complication such as a rupture that would require surgery. This is seen often in professional sports players but can happen to anyone who flexes the ankle frequently.

Tendinitis in the kneecap "Patellar" is referred to as jumper's knee. This follows the same treatment as the Achilles tendinitis and if not careful can have serious complications if not rested until the tendon has a chance to heal.

These are just a few of the spots that are commonly seen by emergency room doctors; all who agree that icing the area immediately after injury is the best immediate treatment possible. Many orthopedic doctors disagree; however, on the treatment that follows the day of injury.