Epicondylar Injections
The lateral epicondyle is an area on the outside of the elbow. It is a bony protrusion that is surrounded by muscles and tendons that move the elbow. When those tendons are damaged due to injury or repetitive use, inflammation can cause pain around the lateral epicondyle. This is known as lateral epicondylitis, or tennis elbow. It is a condition that can make it very painful to use the affected arm and elbow. Epicondylar injections are one option for treatment for tennis elbow that is available at Medici Spine & Pain.
Tennis elbow is common among people who repeatedly bend and strain the elbow during sports or work activities. In most cases, rest and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications can relieve the pain on the outer elbow. When lateral epicondylitis does not respond to conservative treatment and the pain continues, more aggressive treatments may be needed to offer relief. Our physicians look at all the options for treating tennis elbow, including injection therapy to relieve inflammation.
Injections for Tennis Elbow
Epicondylar injections for tennis elbow contain a local anesthetic and a steroid to help relieve the pain and inflammation. Imaging is used to guide the injection to the lateral epicondyle region, delivering the medication to the correct spot. The anesthetic can offer immediate relief of pain in the outer elbow while the steroid will work to reduce inflammation over the next few days. The procedure usually takes less than half an hour and can be beneficial for reducing pain caused by lateral epicondylitis.
If you have tennis elbow or pain surrounding the outer elbow that is not responding to conservative treatment, come see us at Medici Spine & Pain. We can explore the best treatment options to give you relief, including epicondylar injections. Contact us today at our clinics in the greater Atlanta area to schedule an appointment to meet with one of our pain physicians to begin treatment.