Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow is a painful physical condition in the elbow joints. It is caused by the presence of an inflammation in the muscles surrounding the joints of the elbow. Such injuries are often brought about when the muscles are strained and the muscles and the tendons around the elbow and lower arm are affected during this condition. The development of this condition occurs in those partaking in all kinds of racquet sports, those involved in gardening, and those who have home decorating jobs which involve activities like painting the walls and the ceilings. These are the common activities which bring on this disorder. While the development of the full blown symptom is gradual, the first signs of the disorder are the presence of a persistent pain felt along the outer edge of the elbow joint and also in the muscles at the back of the lower part of the arm. The condition once established is often worsened by repeatedly bending the arm or by lifting heavy loads.

Supplements and herbs

The use of these herbal remedies is traditionally suggested by the experts on Chinese medicine. Patients with tennis elbow can benefit from drinking an herbal tea made from the twigs of the cinnamon plant, the twigs of the mulberry tree, along with some ginger.

What else you can do

It is very important to give the injured arm sufficient time to recover and you must rest the arm by not using it for sometime. For several days, try no to use the arm for activities that involve forceful gripping, the lifting of loads, or the carrying of heavy bags or weights. When resting the arm, try to place the arm in an elevated position above the rest of the body. Use a kitchen towel to make an impromptu ice pack by wrapping a pack of frozen peas in it or perhaps you can use a plastic bag filled with ice cubes-this pack can be applied directly to the injured elbow to serve as a topical treatment measure. The ice pack or the towel can be left to lie on the elbow, after placing the pack, try to lower the arm for about five minutes each hour for a period of several hours as treatment during the first few days following the appearance of the tennis elbow. The use of alternate ten minute treatment using ice and warm water can also be employed as a topical treatment strategy for very painful elbows-for the warm part of the treatment, you can also use a heating pad or a hot water bottle which has been wrapped in a towel to avoid scalding the skin. Other helpful treatments are chiropractic sessions and professional massage sessions-both these treatments will help. Equally effective are alternative treatments such as acupuncture and moxibustion along the affected areas.

More useful herbs

• St. John's Wort