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The term
“tendinitis” implies inflammation of a tendon. Tendons, in
turn, are tough, soft tissue structures through which muscle
attaches to the bone. In point of fact, the muscle tissue
turns into tendinous tissue before it inserts onto a bone.
As a result, the function of the tendon is to securely
anchor muscles to the bones that those muscles move.
The most common
cause of tendonitis is overuse. Commonly, individuals begin
an exercise program, or increase their level of exercise,
and begin to experience symptoms of tendonitis. The tendon
is unaccustomed to the new level of demand, and this overuse
will cause an inflammation and tendonitis.
Another
common cause of symptoms of tendonitis is due to age-related
changes of the tendon. As people age, the tendons loose
their elasticity and ability to glide as smoothly as they
used to. With increasing age, individuals are more prone to
developing symptoms of tendonitis. The cause of these
age-related changes is not entirely understood, but may be
due to changes in the blood vessels that supply nutrition to
the tendons.
Sometimes,
there is an anatomical cause for tendonitis. If the tendon
does not have a smooth path to glide along, it will be more
likely to become irritated and inflamed. In these unusual
situations, surgical treatment may be necessary to realign
the tendon. Tendonitis treatment must begin by avoiding
aggravating movements. This may mean taking a break from a
favorite activity for a period of time, but this is a
necessary step to allow the inflamed tendon to heal.
Rest is important, but so is maintaining a full range of
movement. If you don't treat tendonitis carefully, tendons
and ligaments around your joint may gradually stiffen over
several weeks.
Sometimes
doctors inject a drug into tissue around a tendon to relieve
tendonitis. Cortisone injections reduce inflammation and can
give rapid relief of pain. These injections must be used
with care, however, because repeated injections may weaken
the tendon or cause undesirable side effects.
The bursa is a fluid-filled sac that surrounds a joint such
as a shoulder or hip joint. When inflamed, the condition is
called bursitis. The causes for tendonitis and bursitis are
the same: sudden or repeated trauma, overuse, or infection.
The nutritional status of your body can make a difference on whether you
develop these conditions. Some vitamins and minerals, when
properly added to the diet, may help prevent inflammation
and stimulate the rate of healing.
HERBS FOR TENDiNITIS AND BURSITIS:
1. Curcumen – 500 milligrams 2 times per day. Curcumen is
the active ingredient in the herb tumeric and also has
anti-inflammatory activity.
Both Bromelain and Curcumen work best when taken between
meals.
2. Arnica oil can be applied topically, twice a day.
ANOTHER COURSE OF ACTION FOR TENDONITIS AND BURSITIS IS:
The RICE treatment – R-I-C-E stands for Rest, Ice,
Compression, and Elevation.
• Rest the joint as much as possible for 24 to 48 hours
after the injury. This means no weight bearing on an injured
ankle and even bed rest if the condition is severe.
• Ice should be applied as soon as possible, within minutes.
Protect the skin with a towel and apply ice packs 20 minutes
at a time throughout the first 24 hours.
• Compression – Wrap with an ace bandage to prevent
swelling. Make sure it is not so tight as to turn the ends
of the fingers or toes blue. The bandage can be removed
every few hours for icing.
• Elevate the injured limb while resting.
After 48 hours if symptoms are still present, alternate hot
compresses with ice – 3 minutes hot, 1 minute cold for 15 to
20 minutes. Do this once or twice a day for as long as
discomfort persists. |
