Tendinitis Treatment – Asheville, NC
Get Moving without Pain!
Did you know that, according to one estimate, around 30% of healthcare visits for musculoskeletal conditions affect the tendons? Tendons are fibrous tissues that connect muscles to bones, and they play a critical role in helping you move. When they suffer damage, you could find yourself in a world of hurt! How can you get moving again without pain? Our skilled Asheville team offers a number of effective, non-surgical treatment options for tendinitis. Contact us today to request a consultation.
What Is Tendinitis?
Tendinitis (also spelled tendonitis) occurs when a tendon becomes swollen or inflamed. It is often the result of overuse or repeated injuries. While tendinitis can affect any tendon in the body, it is more common in certain areas. For example, tennis elbow, swimmer’s shoulder, and jumper’s knee are all forms of tendinitis.
Here are a few more common types of tendinitis:
- Achilles tendinitis: The Achilles tendon connects your calf muscle to your heel bone. It commonly occurs in runners, as well as in middle-aged people who play sports only on the weekends.
- Calcific tendinitis: This unique type of tendinitis occurs mostly in the shoulder (the rotator cuff). It happens when calcium deposits collect on the tendons and cause pain.
- Chronic tendinitis: Also known as tendinosis or tendinopathy, this condition is caused by repeated injuries over time that do not get the chance to heal properly. It results in the breakdown of collagen within the tendons.
What Are the Symptoms of Tendonitis?
One of the main identifying symptoms of tendonitis is pain in the affected area. Typically, the pain becomes worse with movement. Other indications that you might have tendonitis include:
- Swelling in the affected area. It may be accompanied by redness or other types of discoloration.
- Stiffness and difficulty moving.
- Cracking or grating sensations.
- Unusual warmth on the skin.
How Is Tendinitis Diagnosed?
Tendonitis and other orthopedic conditions can cause similar symptoms, so if you are dealing with joint pain, swelling, and limited mobility, it is important that you visit a qualified physician who can accurately assess your condition. At Asheville Non-Surgical Orthopedics, we can perform a comprehensive physical exam. We will also ask about your symptoms and lifestyle factors that might have contributed to your problem. Our office even has musculoskeletal ultrasound technology that can help us to diagnose a number of musculoskeletal problems, including tendonitis.
Based on the information we gather, we can make an accurate diagnosis and get you on the path to feeling better.
How Can Tendinitis Be Treated?
There are a number of different ways to treat tendinitis. We may advise you to rest the affected part of your body, elevate it, and apply ice and compression. Some professional therapies may also be necessary, such as:
- Physical therapy to strengthen and stretch the muscles around the inflamed tendon.
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections to encourage the delivery of healing and growth factors to the injured area.
- Shockwave therapy to increase blood flow to the damaged tendon and promote healing.
Surgery for tendonitis is a last resort, and we strive to help patients avoid it whenever possible.