Tennis/Golfers Elbow

[Fuzrat]

its much better now thanks guys, I seem to have isolated the cause and its thankfully not shooting I have moved my bus steering wheel closer to me so the arm isnt going out to full extension and it seems to have sorted it. Like my doc said it was always likely to be a repetitive thing that I did a lot and a couple of hundred shells at the weekend isnt really regular enough (to cause this, or for my liking ) but winding my steering wheel round for 10hrs a day was just the ticket.

 

[Nick Selby]

But only when it's really really painful as in debilitating or sleep preventing. Inflammation pain is there for a reason; prevention of further damage. Anti-inflammatories and particularly pain killers should not be used instead of proper recovery & repair. Even some medical professionals are now agreeing that, despite the relentless TV advertising, NSAIDs should only ever be used as a last resort. Just do a search on health risks of NSAIDs.

As mentioned previously, there are better, safer and healthier ways to resolve joint inflammation.

Sorry but I disagree, Westward. It is virtually impossible for total rest and getting on top of the pain is very important. Stretchesexercises are an important part of the treatment (even in the early stages) and if you are in pain, you will not want to do them. Current advice is to use anti inflammatories and pain killers (obviously check that you don't have any conditions that might be irritated by them) but like I said, they should just be used to get on top of the pain to enable other treatments such as stretchesexercises can be completed. There are topical NSAIDs that can be used on the area if you do not want to take oral ones. I have a gastro condition so I have to use the topical NSAIDs..

 

[Wonko the Sane]

Be very wary of the cortisone method.  Couple times may be OK but regular use will destroy tissue to the extent that the injury will never heal.  I have a bad left elbow thanks to that and now a nice topical analgesic and elastic wrap is all that's left to me.  That gets it up to sorta OK and tolerable but it does not make me happy.

R&R is really the only long term recourse.

YMMV of course

Charlie

 

[Westward]

Sorry but I disagree, Westward. It is virtually impossible for total rest and getting on top of the pain is very important. Stretchesexercises are an important part of the treatment (even in the early stages) and if you are in pain, you will not want to do them. Current advice is to use anti inflammatories and pain killers (obviously check that you don't have any conditions that might be irritated by them) but like I said, they should just be used to get on top of the pain to enable other treatments such as stretchesexercises can be completed. There are topical NSAIDs that can be used on the area if you do not want to take oral ones. I have a gastro condition so I have to use the topical NSAIDs..

As you wish, but personally I am not concerned with 'current advice'. Current advice is precisely that - current. In 10 years the advice will be different, just as it was 10 years ago. The only long term beneficiaries are the drug companies and the last thing they want is a healthy population.

 

[Nick Selby]

I guess we will just have to agree to disagree on this one...

 

[Westward]

I guess we will just have to agree to disagree on this one...

I'm absolutely not looking for an argument Wilfie and I accept that my views are very much those of the minority, but let me ask you a couple of questions:

What is your professional opinion of the current TV adverts for a topical NSAID which shows a tennis player, unable to continue because of joint pain, who then applies a patch and is soon happily back playing tennis?

Do you think that presenting NSAIDs as a means by which people can safely continue with the very activity which actually caused their injury is an ethical sales technique?

Of course I appreciate that there are medical conditions where powerful NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen have a role, but IMO for everyday conditions such as minor sports or occupational injuries, they should be a last resort rather than a first.

 

[ips]

. Current advice is precisely that - current. In 10 years the advice will be different, just as it was 10 years ago.

This is very true, it was 27 years ago when I started with my sciatica problems and all of the advice then was bed rest. now the advice is keep as active as possible. So westward is correct with the above statement, who knows what the docs will advise for sciatica or tennis elbow or anything else for that matter in 10 years time.

 

[Westward]

The typical approach to treating sciatica is a textbook example of how doctors & other medical professionals tend to address symptoms rather than cause(s). In most cases the clinicians will send the sufferer away with a prescription for pain relief and possibly instructions to avoid certain activities, without taking the least trouble to establish which of the several possible underlying conditions is causing it.

 

[Nick Selby]

Like I said previously, I do not advocate long term use of analgesics or NSAIDs. They do have their place in the acute phase (first 48-72) hours but after that I am a strong advocate of exercises etc for most musculoskeletal problems and not long term use.

Of course advice changes as research is completed into conditions and various treatments and yes many things have changed over the years. The advice at the time should be the most up to date information regarding the condition and treatment.

As with a lot of musculoskeletal conditions, certain exercises are often the best way of treating it and pain can inhibit this. All I say to people is to get on top of the pain/inflammation early on and complete the exercises that I prescribe. I do agree that some docs (particularly GPs) are just happy to fill out a prescription for pain killers but I can assure you that a physiotherapist won't. They will look at the problem, the reason for it and look at ways of not only helping it in the short term but also look at ways of stopping it from coming back...

If you are going to use NSAIDs and paracetamol then the 30p a packet ones from all major supermarkets are just as good as the expensive ones as they contain the same ingredients.

...and like I said in my original comment, I tend to use ice massages, frictions and stretches with tennis elbow and have found this to be very effect...

Any future injury postings, I think I will just keep quiet..... ;-)

 

[ips]

The typical approach to treating sciatica is a textbook example of how doctors & other medical professionals tend to address symptoms rather than cause(s). In most cases the clinicians will send the sufferer away with a prescription for pain relief and possibly instructions to avoid certain activities, without taking the least trouble to establish which of the several possible underlying conditions is causing it.

Which is exactly why I see my private physio on average 4 times a year as soon as I feel it coming on. Pain killers dont work for me and even if they did they merely mask the problem. GP's are called "general" for a reason.

 

[ips]

Any future injury postings, I think I will just keep quiet..... ;-)

Please dont do that just because of one minor difference of opinion. None of us would post more than a couple of times if we were bothered about someone disagreing with our comments. I for one would very much like a physio onboard for the inevitable sporting injurys (sciatica in my case)

 

[Nick Selby]

Don't worry, IPS...I'm sure I'll pipe up if there are future concerns re MSK injuries..

;-)

 

[ips]

Glad to hear it.

PS - I think my sciatica and or arthritic hip is about to play up again as something is not feeling quite right the last few days so watch this space

 

[Westward]

Any future injury postings, I think I will just keep quiet..... ;-)

Few things annoyed me more in my own field (computers... yawn!) than opinionated amateurs, consequently I'm always happy to listen to and examine the opinions of professionals. That's why I asked the 2 questions.

In this country and perhaps the whole western world, most people, unwittingly perhaps, have out sourced the responsibility for their own health and well being to the medical profession. Very few people seem to see this as a problem and probably not many doctors do either, but the pharmaceutical industry recognizes it fully and its entire business model is based on it and the consequent gullibility of both medical professionals & patients.

If 50% of the population ate 10% more fresh food, lost 10% of their surplus fat, took 10% more exercise, ate 10% less trash food and drank 10% less alcohol, the health of the nation would be transformed. Within a generation the drugs industry would be decimated and the NHS would not only be affordable it would be getting smaller.

But as long as the general attitude is summed up by: "Oh my back hurts, where's the Ibuprofen?" things will just go on getting worse.

 

[ips]

I am more of a "ooh my back hurts were is the scotch" kinda guy.

 

[Nick Selby]

....you are not on your own there, IPS..

 

[PhilS]

I am more of a "ooh my back hurts were is the scotch" kinda guy.

Gin these days (or expensive malt) but hey, same difference......

Sent from my Desire HD using tapatalk 2

 

[ips]

Yep best pain killers available and with added muscle relaxant.

 

[PhilS]

But of course 10% less than I used to. :wink:

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[Nick Selby]

Westy, I do agree that too many people rely on pain killers/NSAIDs and too many also prescribe them but I do think they have a place as long as they are only short term use and always alongside other forms of treatments. Most of us physios will always push other forms of treatment as the painkillers just mask the pain.....I can't comment on behalf of GPs though... ;-)