Breadcrumb
- Home
- Illnesses & Conditions
- Joints and Spinal Conditions
- Tennis Elbow
Content Map Terms
Illnesses & Conditions Categories
-
Allergies
- Allergy to Natural Rubber (Latex)
- Jellyfish Stings: Allergic Reaction
- Allergies: Should I Take Allergy Shots?
- Non-Allergic Rhinitis
- Allergic Reaction
- Allergies
- Allergy Shots for Allergic Rhinitis
- Allergies: Rush Immunotherapy
- Over-the-Counter Medicines for Allergies
- Allergic Rhinitis
- Types of Allergens
- Allergies: Avoiding Indoor Triggers
- Allergies: Avoiding Outdoor Triggers
- Controlling Dust, Dust Mites, and Other Allergens in Your Home
- Controlling Pet Allergens
- Allergies to Insect Stings
- Allergies: Should I Take Shots for Insect Sting Allergies?
- Immunotherapy for Allergies to Insect Stings
- Types of Allergic Rhinitis
- Allergic Reaction to Tattoo Dye
- Drug Allergies
- Penicillin Allergy
- Hay Fever and Other Seasonal Allergies
- Allergies: Giving Yourself an Epinephrine Shot
-
Arthritis and Osteoporosis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: Finger and Hand Surgeries
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: Classification Criteria
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: Systemic Symptoms
- Comparing Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: Neck Symptoms
- Osteoporosis in Men
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Arthritis: Shots for Knee Pain
- Complementary Medicine for Arthritis
- Steve's Story: Coping With Arthritis
- Bev's Story: Coping With Arthritis
- Quick Tips: Modifying Your Home and Work Area When You Have Arthritis
- Coping With Osteoarthritis
- Arthritis: Should I Have Shoulder Replacement Surgery?
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Stretching and Strengthening Exercises
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
- Capsaicin for Osteoarthritis
- Small Joint Surgery for Osteoarthritis
- Osteoarthritis: Heat and Cold Therapy
- Modifying Activities for Osteoarthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Gout
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Inflammatory Eye Disease
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Range-of-Motion Exercises
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Deciding About Total Joint Replacement
- Complications of Osteoarthritis
- Arthritis: Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Arthritis: Should I Have Knee Replacement Surgery?
- Arthritis: Should I Have Hip Replacement Surgery?
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Pain Management
- Osteoporosis Risk in Younger Women
- Osteoporosis Screening
-
Asthma
- Asthma: Peak Expiratory Flow and Personal Best
- Asthma and Wheezing
- Asthma: Using an Asthma Action Plan
- Asthma: Measuring Peak Flow
- Asthma: Identifying Your Triggers
- Steroid Medicine for Asthma: Myths and Facts
- Asthma
- Inhaled corticosteroids for asthma
- Inhaled quick-relief medicines for asthma
- Classification of Asthma
- Challenge Tests for Asthma
- Asthma's Impact on Your Child's Life
- Asthma Action Plan: Yellow Zone
- Asthma Triggers
- Asthma Action Plan: Red Zone
- Asthma and GERD
- Occupational Asthma
- Asthma Attack
- Asthma: Symptoms of Difficulty Breathing
- Exercise-Induced Asthma
- Asthma Treatment Goals
- Asthma: Overcoming Obstacles to Taking Medicines
- Asthma in Older Adults: Managing Treatment
- Asthma: Controlling Cockroaches
- Asthma: Educating Yourself and Your Child
- Allergy Shots for Asthma
- Asthma: Taking Charge of Your Asthma
- Monitoring Asthma Treatment
- Omalizumab for Asthma
- Asthma: Ways to Take Inhaled Medicines
- Asthma: Overuse of Quick-Relief Medicines
- Asthma Diary
- Asthma Diary Template
- Asthma Action Plan
- Assessing Your Asthma Knowledge
- My Asthma Action Plan
-
Bowel and Gastrointestinal Conditions
- Abdominal Fullness or Bloating
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Criteria for Diagnosis
- Gastritis
- Gas, Bloating, and Burping
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Constipation: Keeping Your Bowels Healthy
- Rectal Problems
- Mild, Moderate, or Severe Diarrhea
- Torn or Detached Nail
- Chronic Constipation
- Gas (Flatus)
- Dyspepsia
- Diverticulosis
- Bowel Obstruction
- Anal Fissure
- Bowel Disease: Caring for Your Ostomy
- Anal Fistulas and Crohn's Disease
-
Cancer
- Lung Cancer and Other Lung Problems From Smoking
- Skin Cancer, Non-Melanoma
- Radiation Therapy for Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer
- Colorectal Cancer Test Recommendations
- Breast Cancer Screening: When Should I Start Having Mammograms?
- Lifestyle Changes That May Help Prevent Cancer
- Choosing a Prosthesis After Breast Cancer Surgery
- Hormone Treatment for Breast Cancer
- Cancer Staging and Grading
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Kidney (Renal Cell) Cancer
- Cancer Support: Managing Stress
- Cancer Support: When Your Cancer Comes Back or Gets Worse
- Cancer Support: Dealing With Emotions and Fears
- Cancer Support: Finding Out That You Have Cancer
- Cancer Support: Being an Active Patient
- Cancer Support: Coping With Cancer Treatments
- Cancer Support: Life After Treatment
- Cancer Support: Family, Friends, and Relationships
- Reducing Cancer Risk When You Are BRCA-Positive
- Anal Cancer
- Prostate Cancer: Should I Choose Active Surveillance?
- Lung Cancer Screening
- Basal Cell Skin Cancer: Should I Have Surgery or Use Medicated Cream?
- Tumour Markers
- Does Aspirin Prevent Cancer?
- Cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Oral Cancer
- Colorectal Cancer
- Metastatic Melanoma
- Radiation Treatment for Cancer
- Skin Cancer, Melanoma
- Cervical Cancer Screening
- Hepatitis B and C: Risk of Liver Cancer
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Cancer Risk
- Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer
- Prostate Cancer
- Cancer: Home Treatment for Mouth Sores
- Skin Cancer Screening
- Breast Cancer: Should I Have Breast Reconstruction After a Mastectomy?
- Prostate Cancer: Should I Have Radiation or Surgery for Localized Prostate Cancer?
- Prostate Cancer Screening
- Side Effects of Chemotherapy
- Breast Cancer: Lymph Node Surgery for Staging Cancer
- Endometrial (Uterine) Cancer
- Cryosurgery for Prostate Cancer
- Breast Cancer
- Cancer: Home Treatment for Nausea or Vomiting
- Cancer: Home Treatment for Pain
- Cancer: Home Treatment for Diarrhea
- Cancer: Home Treatment for Constipation
- Breast Cancer Types
- Cancer: Home Treatment for Sleep Problems
- Cancer: Home Treatment for Fatigue
- Hair Loss From Cancer Treatment
- Body Image After Cancer Treatment
- Breast Cancer: Should I Have Breast-Conserving Surgery or a Mastectomy for Early-Stage Cancer?
- Breast Cancer, Metastatic or Recurrent
- Cancer Pain
- Leukemia
- Colorectal Cancer, Metastatic or Recurrent
- Thyroid Cancer
- Types of Thyroid Cancer
- Radiation Therapy for Cancer Pain
- Breast Cancer in Men (Male Breast Cancer)
- Breast Cancer Screening
- Breast Cancer: Should I Have Chemotherapy for Early-Stage Breast Cancer?
- Asbestos and Lung Cancer
- Cervical Cancer
- Ovarian Cancer
- Colon Cancer Genetic Testing
- Testicular Cancer Screening
- Skin Cancer: Protecting Your Skin
- Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: Comparing Treatments
- Bladder Cancer
- Prostate Cancer, Advanced or Metastatic
- Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer
- Urinary Problems and Prostate Cancer
- Cancer: Controlling Cancer Pain
- Heat and Cold Treatment for Cancer Pain
- Testicular Cancer
- Testicular Cancer: Which Treatment Should I Have for Stage I Non-Seminoma Testicular Cancer After My Surgery?
- Testicular Cancer: Which Treatment Should I Have for Stage I Seminoma Testicular Cancer After My Surgery?
- Cancer: Controlling Nausea and Vomiting From Chemotherapy
- Lymphedema: Managing Lymphedema
- Breast Cancer Risk: Should I Have a BRCA Gene Test?
- Inflammatory Breast Cancer
- Ovarian Cancer: Should I Have My Ovaries Removed to Prevent Ovarian Cancer?
- Family History and the Risk for Breast or Ovarian Cancer
- Breast Cancer: What Should I Do if I'm at High Risk?
-
Cold and Flu
- Difference Between Influenza (Flu) and a Cold
- Colds and Flu
- Influenza (Flu) Complications
- Flu Vaccine Myths
- Influenza (Seasonal Flu)
- Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
- Productive Coughs
- Dry Coughs
- Influenza (Flu): Should I Take Antiviral Medicine?
- Flu Vaccines: Should I Get a Flu Vaccine?
- Relieving A Cough
- Colds
-
COPD
- Cal's Story: Learning to Exercise When You have COPD
- Conserving Energy When You Have COPD or Other Chronic Conditions
- Nebulizer for COPD Treatment
- COPD Action Plan
- COPD: Help for Caregivers
- COPD: Keeping Your Diet Healthy
- COPD: Using Exercise to Feel Better
- COPD
- COPD Flare-Ups
- Bullectomy for COPD
- COPD and Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) Deficiency
- COPD and Sex
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- COPD
- Oxygen Treatment for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- COPD: Avoiding Weight Loss
- COPD: Avoiding Your Triggers
-
Dementia
- Alzheimer's or Other Dementia: Should I Move My Relative Into Long-Term Care?
- Alzheimer's and Other Dementias: Coping With Sundowning
- Dementia: Assessing Pain
- Medical History and Physical Examination for Dementia or Alzheimer's Disease
- Alzheimer's and Other Dementias: Making the Most of Remaining Abilities
- Dementia: Helping a Person Avoid Confusion
- Alzheimer's and Other Dementias: Maintaining Good Nutrition
- Dementia: Tips for Communicating
- Agitation and Dementia
- Dementia: Bladder and Bowel Problems
- Dementia: Support for Caregivers
- Dementia: Legal Issues
- Dementia: Understanding Behaviour Changes
- Dementia: Medicines to Treat Behaviour Changes
- Dementia
- Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia
-
Diabetes
- Diabetes: Blood Sugar Levels
- Diabetes: Counting Carbs if You Don't Use Insulin
- Diabetes: Coping With Your Feelings About Your Diet
- Diabetes: Tracking My Feelings
- Diabetes: Taking Care of Your Feet
- Diabetes: Care of Blood Sugar Test Supplies
- Diabetes: Checking Your Blood Sugar
- Diabetes: Checking Your Feet
- Diabetes: Steps for Foot-Washing
- Diabetes: Protecting Your Feet
- Diabetes: Dealing With Low Blood Sugar From Medicines
- Diabetes: Dealing With Low Blood Sugar From Insulin
- Diabetes: How to Give Glucagon
- Low Blood Sugar Level Record
- Symptoms of Low Blood Sugar
- Diabetes: Preventing High Blood Sugar Emergencies
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
- High Blood Sugar Level Record
- Symptoms of High Blood Sugar
- Diabetes: Using a Plate Format to Plan Meals
- Diabetes: Giving Yourself an Insulin Shot
- Diabetes: Eating Low-Glycemic Foods
- Diabetes and Alcohol
- Continuous Glucose Monitoring
- Quick Tips: Diabetes and Shift Work
- Diabetes: How to Prepare for a Colonoscopy
- Type 2 Diabetes: Can You Cure It?
- Diabetes, Type 2: Should I Take Insulin?
- Prediabetes: Which Treatment Should I Use to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes?
- Diabetes: Making Medical Decisions as Your Health Changes
- Diabetes Care Plan
- Diabetes: Caregiving for an Older Adult
- Quick Tips: Smart Snacking When You Have Diabetes
- Testing Tips From a Diabetes Educator
- Gloria's Story: Adding Activity to Help Control Blood Sugar
- Andy's Story: Finding Your Own Routine When You Have Diabetes
- Jerry's Story: Take Prediabetes Seriously
- Linda's Story: Getting Active When You Have Prediabetes
- Diabetes
- Tips for Exercising Safely When You Have Diabetes
- Diabetes: Travel Tips
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Type 1 Diabetes
- Care of Your Skin When You Have Diabetes
- Care of Your Teeth and Gums When You Have Diabetes
- Non-insulin medicines for type 2 diabetes
- Metformin for diabetes
- Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar) in People Without Diabetes
- Diabetic Retinopathy
- Laser Photocoagulation for Diabetic Retinopathy
- Diabetic Neuropathy
- Diabetic Focal Neuropathy
- Diabetic Neuropathy: Exercising Safely
- Diabetic Autonomic Neuropathy
- Criteria for Diagnosing Diabetes
- Diabetes-Related High and Low Blood Sugar Levels
- Diabetic Nephropathy
- Diabetes: Counting Carbs if You Use Insulin
- Diabetes: Cholesterol Levels
- Diabetes and Infections
- Diabetes: Tests to Watch for Complications
- Diabetes: Differences Between Type 1 and 2
- Diabetes Complications
- How Diabetes Causes Blindness
- How Diabetes Causes Foot Problems
- Reading Food Labels When You Have Diabetes
- Eating Out When You Have Diabetes
- Breastfeeding When You Have Diabetes
- Diabetes: Staying Motivated
- Sick-Day Guidelines for People With Diabetes
- Diabetes: Amputation for Foot Problems
- Prediabetes
- Prediabetes: Exercise Tips
- Type 2 Diabetes: Screening for Adults
- Diabetes: Should I Get an Insulin Pump?
- Diabetes: Living With an Insulin Pump
- Form for Carbohydrate Counting
-
Disease and Disease Prevention
- Diseases and Conditions
- Osgood-Schlatter Disease
- Needle Aponeurotomy for Dupuytren's Disease
- Mitochondrial Diseases
- Disease and Injury Prevention
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Root Planing and Scaling for Gum Disease
- Kawasaki Disease
- Tay-Sachs Disease
- Von Willebrand's Disease
- Hirschsprung's Disease
- Complications of Paget's Disease
- Paget's Disease of Bone
- Celiac Disease
- Peptic Ulcer Disease
- Ménière's Disease
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: Tubo-Ovarian Abscess
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Addison's Disease
- Misdiagnosis of Lyme Disease
- Lyme Disease
- Parkinson's Disease and Freezing
- Parkinson's Disease: Other Symptoms
- Parkinson's Disease: Modifying Your Activities and Your Home
- Parkinson's Disease and Tremors
- Parkinson's Disease and Speech Problems
- Parkinson's Disease
- Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
- Parkinson's Disease: Movement Problems From Levodopa
- Mad Cow Disease
- Handwashing
- Peyronie's Disease
- Stages of Lyme Disease
- Osteotomy and Paget's Disease
- Dupuytren's Disease
- Crohn's Disease
- Crohn's Disease: Problems Outside the Digestive Tract
- Pilonidal Disease
- Acquired Von Willebrand's Disease
-
Down Syndrome, Autism and Developmental Delays
- Autism
- Down Syndrome: Helping Your Child Eat Independently
- Down Syndrome: Grooming and Hygiene
- Down Syndrome: Helping Your Child Learn to Walk and Use Other Motor Skills
- Down Syndrome: Helping Your Child Learn to Communicate
- Down Syndrome
- Dyslexia
- Conditions Related to Dyslexia
- Autism: Behavioural Training and Management
- Autism: Support and Training for the Family
- Unproven Treatments for Autism
- Caring for Adults With Autism
- Down Syndrome: Helping Your Child Avoid Social Problems
- Down Syndrome: Training and Therapy for Young People
- Down Syndrome: Helping Your Child Dress Independently
- Down Syndrome, Ages Birth to 1 Month
- Down Syndrome, Ages 1 Month to 1 Year
- Down Syndrome, Ages 1 to 5
- Down Syndrome, Ages 5 to 13
- Down Syndrome, Ages 13 to 21
- Eating Disorders
-
Epilepsy
- Absence Epilepsy
- Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy
- Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
- Focal Epilepsy
- Epilepsy: Simple Partial Seizures
- Epilepsy
- Epilepsy and Driving
- Epilepsy: Generalized Seizures
- Epilepsy: Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures
- Epilepsy: Myoclonic Seizures
- Epilepsy: Atonic Seizures
- Epilepsy: Tonic Seizures
- Epilepsy: Complex Partial Seizures
- Epilepsy Medicine Therapy Failure
- Stopping Medicine for Epilepsy
- Questions About Medicines for Epilepsy
- Epilepsy: Taking Your Medicines Properly
-
Fatigue and Sleep
- Sleep Apnea: Should I Have a Sleep Study?
- Sleep and Your Health
- Quick Tips: Making the Best of Shift Work
- Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Managing Your Energy
- Sleeping Better
- Sleep Problems
- Doxepin (Sleep) - Oral
- Improving Sleep When You Have Chronic Pain
- Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Chronic Fatigue: Changing Your Schedule
- Chronic Fatigue: Getting Support
- Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Coping With Changing Sleep Patterns as You Get Older
- Stages of Sleep
- Sleep Apnea: Fibre-Optic Pharyngoscopy
- Sleep Apnea: Oral Devices
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Sleep Apnea
- Sleep Problems, Age 12 and Older
- Stages of Sleep Apnea
- Sleep Journal
- Shift Work Sleep Disorder
- Snoring
- Sleep Problems: Dealing With Jet Lag
- Insomnia
- Sleep and Your Body Clock
- Weakness and Fatigue
- Insomnia: Improving Your Sleep
-
Heart Health and Stroke
- Peripheral Arterial Disease of the Legs
- Bradycardia (Slow Heart Rate)
- Types of Bradycardia
- Cardiac Device Monitoring
- Angioplasty for Peripheral Arterial Disease of the Legs
- Isolated Systolic High Blood Pressure
- Atrial Fibrillation: Should I Try Electrical Cardioversion?
- Change in Heartbeat
- Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Fast Heart Rate
- Heart Failure: Symptom Record
- Heart Failure: Compensation by the Heart and Body
- Heart Failure: Taking Medicines Properly
- Heart Failure: Watching Your Fluids
- Heart Failure: Avoiding Triggers for Sudden Heart Failure
- Heart Failure: Activity and Exercise
- Heart Tests: When Do You Need Them?
- Low Blood Pressure (Hypotension)
- Cardiac Arrest
- Heart Failure Daily Action Plan
- Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs)
- Heart Rate Problems: Should I Get a Pacemaker?
- Heart Rhythm Problems: Should I Get an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD)?
- What to Do if Your Cardiac Device Is Recalled
- Venous Insufficiency
- Carotid Artery Stenting
- ICD: Living Well With It
- Diabetes: Lower Your Risk for Heart Attack and Stroke
- Pacemaker for Heart Failure (Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy)
- Heart Attack: How to Prevent Another One
- Stroke: How to Prevent Another One
- Sex and Your Heart
- Supraventricular Tachycardia: Should I Have Catheter Ablation?
- Carotid Artery Disease
- Giant Cell Arteritis
- High Blood Pressure: Over-the-Counter Medicines to Avoid
- Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
- Leg Aneurysm
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH)
- Heart Failure: Checking Your Weight
- Alan's Story: Coping With Change After a Heart Attack
- Coronary Artery Disease: Prevention Myths
- Quick Tips: Taking Charge of Your Angina
- Heart and Circulation
- High Blood Pressure
- Heartburn
- Angioplasty for Coronary Artery Disease
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD)
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Aortic Valve Stenosis
- Secondary High Blood Pressure
- Hemorrhagic Stroke
- Stroke: Common Disabilities
- Self-Care After a Stroke
- Stroke: Dealing With Depression
- Stroke: Getting Dressed
- Stroke: Speech and Language Problems
- Stroke: Bladder and Bowel Problems
- Stroke: Preventing Injury in Affected Limbs
- After a Stroke: Helping Your Family Adjust
- Stroke: Behaviour Changes
- Stroke: Changes in Emotions
- Stroke: Perception Changes
- Stroke: Problems With Ignoring the Affected Side
- Stroke: Memory Tips
- Stroke: Your Rehabilitation Team
- Stroke
- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Lifestyle Changes
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Hospital Program
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Home Program
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Outpatient Program
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Maintenance Program
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Congenital Heart Defects: Caring for Your Child
- Coronary Artery Disease: Should I Have an Angiogram?
- Triggers of Sudden Heart Failure
- Classification of Heart Failure
- Heart Failure: Tips for Easier Breathing
- Heart Failure: Avoiding Colds and Flu
- Heart Failure
- Helping Someone During a Panic Attack
- Aortic Aneurysm
- High Blood Pressure
- Coronary Artery Disease: Family History
- Angina
- Using Nitroglycerin for Angina
- Heartburn: Changing Your Eating Habits
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
- Beta-blockers
- Heart Rhythm Problems: Diary of Symptoms
- Vagal Manoeuvres for Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)
- Electrical Cardioversion (Defibrillation) for a Fast Heart Rate
- Catheter Ablation for a Fast Heart Rate
- Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Home Blood Pressure Log
- Blood Pressure Screening
- Heart Block
- Electrical System of the Heart
- Heart Rhythm Problems and Driving
- Heart Rhythm Problems: Symptoms
- Resuming Sexual Activity After a Heart Attack
- Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease
- Pacemaker for Bradycardia
- SPECT Image of the Heart
- Heart Attack and Stroke in Women: Reducing Your Risk
- Ventricular Tachycardia
- Aspirin to Prevent Heart Attack and Stroke
- Temporal Artery Biopsy
- Emergency First Aid for Heatstroke
- Heartburn Symptom Record
- Heart Attack and Unstable Angina
- Congenital Heart Defects in Adults
- Monitoring and Medicines for Heart Failure
- Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) for Heart Failure
- Cardiac Output
- Heart Failure Symptoms
- Heart Failure: Less Common Symptoms
- Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction (Systolic Heart Failure)
- Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction (Diastolic Heart Failure)
- High-Output Heart Failure
- Right-Sided Heart Failure
- Heart Failure Complications
- How the Heart Works
- Coronary Arteries and Heart Function
- Heart Failure Types
- Enjoying Life When You Have Heart Failure
- Heart Failure: Tips for Caregivers
- Medicines to Prevent Abnormal Heart Rhythm in Heart Failure
- Cardiac Cachexia
- Heart Failure Stages
- Cardiac Rehabilitation Team
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Emotional Health Benefits
- Ischemia
- Coronary Artery Disease: Roles of Different Doctors
- Coronary Artery Disease: Helping a Loved One
- Manage Stress for Your Heart
- Intermittent Claudication
- Peripheral Arterial Disease: Pulse and Blood Pressure Measurement
- Heart Failure and Sexual Activity
- Joan's Story: Coping With Depression and Anxiety From Heart Failure
- Rheumatic Fever and the Heart
- Heart Valve Problems: Should I Choose a Mechanical Valve or Tissue Valve to Replace My Heart Valve?
- Acute Coronary Syndrome
- Aspirin: Should I Take Daily Aspirin to Prevent a Heart Attack or Stroke?
- Heart Failure: Should I Get a Pacemaker ?
- Heart Failure: Should I Get an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD)?
- Heart Valve Disease
- Myxoma Tumours of the Heart
- Aortic Dissection
- Heart Attack and Stroke Risk Screening
- High Blood Pressure: Checking Your Blood Pressure at Home
- Hypertensive Emergency
- Stroke Rehabilitation
- Treatment for Stroke-Related Spasticity
- Driving a Car After a Stroke
- Heart Failure: Avoiding Medicines That Make Symptoms Worse
- Stroke Recovery: Coping With Eating Problems
- Heart Murmur
- High Blood Pressure: Should I Take Medicine?
- Coronary Artery Disease: Should I Have Angioplasty for Stable Angina?
- Tyrell's Story: Taking Pills for High Blood Pressure
- Stroke Prevention: Should I Have a Carotid Artery Procedure?
- Atrial Fibrillation: Which Anticoagulant Should I Take to Prevent Stroke?
- Stroke: Should I Move My Loved One Into Long-Term Care?
- Atrial Fibrillation: Should I Take an Anticoagulant to Prevent Stroke?
- Smoking and Coronary Artery Disease
-
Hepatitis
- Hepatitis C: Your Risk for Cirrhosis
- Hepatitis E
- Hepatitis B Immune Globulin - Injection
- Heparin - Injection
- Fulminant Hepatitis
- Protect Yourself From Hepatitis A When Travelling
- Hepatitis A
- Viral Hepatitis
- Hepatitis C
- Hepatitis D
- Hepatitis B: How to Avoid Spreading the Virus
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis Panel
- Hepatitis B Treatment Recommendations
- Hepatitis B: Should I Be Tested?
-
HIV
- HIV Infection
- HIV Viral Load
- HIV: Stages of Infection
- Ways HIV Cannot Be Spread
- HIV and Exercise
- HIV: Giving Support
- HIV: Tips for Caregivers to Avoid Infection
- HIV: Preventing Other Infections When You Have HIV
- HIV Home Care
- Antiretroviral medicines for HIV
- Resistance to HIV Medicines
- HIV: Preventing Infections
- HIV: Antiretroviral Therapy (ART)
- Opportunistic Infections in HIV
- HIV: Taking Antiretroviral Drugs
- HIV: Non-Progressors and HIV-Resistant People
- HIV Screening
- HIV and Weight Loss
- HIV and Fatigue
-
Infectious Diseases
- Anthrax
- Avian Influenza
- Avoiding Infections in the Hospital
- Bacterial Infections of the Spine
- Bites and Stings: Flu-Like Symptoms
- Boric Acid for Vaginal Yeast Infection
- Caregiving: Reducing Germs and Infection in the Home
- Central Venous Catheter: Flushing
- Chickenpox (Varicella)
- Chickenpox: Preventing Skin Infections
- Chikungunya Fever
- Complicated Urinary Tract Infections
- Complications of Ear Infections
- Cranberry Juice and Urinary Tract Infections
- Dengue Fever
- Ear Infection: Should I Give My Child Antibiotics?
- Ear Infections
- Ebola or Marburg Virus Infection
- Ebola Virus Disease
- Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68)
- Fever or Chills, Age 11 and Younger
- Fever or Chills, Age 12 and Older
- Fever Seizures
- Fever Temperatures: Accuracy and Comparison
- Feverfew for Migraines
- Fifth Disease
- Flu: Signs of Bacterial Infection
- Fungal Nail Infections
- Giardiasis
- Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease
- Kissing Bugs
- Measles (Rubeola)
- Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)
- Molluscum Contagiosum
- Monkeypox
- Mononucleosis (Mono)
- Mononucleosis Complications
- Mumps
- Nail Infection: Should I Take Antifungal Pills?
- Neutropenia: Preventing Infections
- Non-Surgical Nail Removal for Fungal Nail Infections
- Noroviruses
- Pleurisy
- Pneumonia
- Preventing Tetanus Infections
- Pseudomonas Infection
- Recurrent Ear Infections and Persistent Effusion
- Recurrent Vaginal Yeast Infections
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection
- Rotavirus
- Rubella (German Measles)
- Scarlet Fever
- Sexually Transmitted Infections
- Sexually Transmitted Infections: Genital Examination for Men
- Sexually Transmitted Infections: Symptoms in Women
- Sexually Transmitted Infections: Treatment
- Shingles
- Smallpox
- Sore Throat and Other Throat Problems
- Staph Infection
- Strep Throat
- Symptoms of Pelvic Infection
- Thrush
- Tick Bites: Flu-Like Symptoms
- Tinea Versicolor
- Tuberculosis (TB)
- Tuberculosis Screening
- Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) in Older Adults
- Vaginal Yeast Infection: Should I Treat It Myself?
- Vaginal Yeast Infections
- Valley Fever
- West Nile Virus
- Zika Virus
- Informed Health Decisions
-
Injuries
- Trapped Finger, Toe, or Limb
- Blister Care
- Exercises for Heel Pain or Tightness
- Broken Toe
- Broken Nose (Nasal Fracture)
- Preventing Blisters
- Hip Fracture
- Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury
- Pressure Injuries From Scuba Diving
- Pressure Injuries: Stages
- Pressure Injuries: Prevention and Treatment
- Calf Muscle Injury
- Avulsion Fracture
- Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Injury
- Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Injury
- Frozen or Stuck Tongue or Other Body Part
- Fifth Metatarsal Jones Fracture
- Animal and Human Bites
- Blisters
- Burns and Electric Shock
- Choking Rescue Procedure: Heimlich Manoeuvre
- Cold Temperature Exposure
- Cuts
- Ear Problems and Injuries, Age 11 and Younger
- Elbow Injuries
- Elbow Problems, Non-Injury
- Facial Injuries
- Facial Problems, Non-Injury
- Fish Hook Injuries
- Toe, Foot, and Ankle Injuries
- Groin Problems and Injuries
- Finger, Hand, and Wrist Injuries
- Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries
- Safe Hand and Wrist Movements
- Physical Rehabilitation for ACL Injuries
- Marine Stings and Scrapes
- Mouth Problems, Non-Injury
- Nail Problems and Injuries
- Puncture Wounds
- Shoulder Problems and Injuries
- Removing Splinters
- Swallowed Button Disc Battery, Magnet, or Object With Lead
- Object Stuck in the Throat
- How a Scrape Heals
- Removing an Object From a Wound
- Types of Chest Injuries
- Injury to the Tailbone (Coccyx)
- First Aid for a Spinal Injury
- Body Mechanics
- Scrapes
- Swallowed or Inhaled Objects
- Swelling
- Overuse Injuries
- Meniscus Tear
- Razor Bumps
- Ankle Sprain
- Sprained Ankle: Using a Compression Wrap
- High-Pressure Injection Wounds
- Patellar Dislocation
- Hamstring Muscles
- Plica in the Knee
- Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis
- Pressure Injuries
- Heat After an Injury
- Concussion
- Navicular (Scaphoid) Fracture of the Wrist
- Cold Exposure: What Increases Your Risk of Injury?
- Broken Collarbone (Clavicle)
- Shoulder Separation
- Frozen Shoulder
- Preventing ACL Injuries
- Living With a Spinal Cord Injury
- Classification of Spinal Cord Injuries
- Tendon Injury (Tendinopathy)
- Shin Splints
- Muscle Cramps
- Whiplash
- Fractured Rib
-
Joints and Spinal Conditions
- Osteochondritis Dissecans of a Joint
- Back to Work?
- Moving From Sitting to Standing
- Golfer's Elbow
- Bones, Joints, and Muscles
- Hip Injuries, Age 11 and Younger
- Hip Injuries, Age 12 and Older
- Hip Problems, Age 12 and Older
- Rotator Cuff Disorders
- Osteoporosis
- Spina Bifida
- Temporomandibular Disorders: Having Good Body Mechanics
- Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)
- Tennis Elbow
- Debridement for Rotator Cuff Disorders
- Spinal Curves in Scoliosis
- Spondyloarthropathies
- Knee Problems and Injuries
- Posture: Standing and Walking
- Osteoporosis Risk Factors
- Bruxism and Temporomandibular Disorders
- Patellar Subluxation
- Steroid-Induced Osteoporosis
- Cervical Spinal Stenosis
- Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
- Spasticity
- Scoliosis In Adults
- Acute Flaccid Myelitis
- Spinal Cord Injury: Assisted Cough
- Spinal Cord Injury: Your Rehabilitation Team
- Spinal Cord Injury: Talking With Your Partner About Sex
- Mobility After a Spinal Cord Injury
- Spinal Cord Injury: Adapting Your Home
- Spinal Cord Injury: Safe Transfers To or From a Wheelchair
- Spinal Cord Injury: Autonomic Dysreflexia
- Back Problems and Injuries
- Proper Sitting for a Healthy Back
- Brace (Orthotic) Treatment for Scoliosis
- Proper Back Posture (Neutral Spine)
- Severity of Back Injuries
- Back Problems: Proper Lifting
- Degenerative Disc Disease
-
Kidneys
- Acute Kidney Injury Versus Chronic Kidney Disease
- Nephrotic Syndrome
- Uremia
- Kidney Stones: Should I Have Lithotripsy to Break Up the Stone?
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Kidney Failure: When Should I Start Dialysis?
- Kidney Failure: Should I Start Dialysis?
- Anemia of Chronic Kidney Disease
- End-Stage Kidney Failure
- Tolvaptan (Inherited Kidney Disease) - Oral
- Types of Kidney Stones
- Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) for Kidney Stones
- Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy or Nephrolithotripsy for Kidney Stones
- Kidney Stones
- Advance Care Planning: Should I Stop Kidney Dialysis?
- Kidney Disease: Medicines to Avoid
- Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease
- Medicines That Can Cause Acute Kidney Injury
- Donating a Kidney
- Kidney Stones: Medicines That Increase Your Risk
-
Lung and Respiratory Conditions
- Breathing Problems: Using a Metered-Dose Inhaler
- Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
- Bronchiectasis
- Chest Problems
- Sildenafil 20 Mg (Lungs) - Oral
- Tadalafil (Lungs) - Oral
- Tests for Lung Infections
- COPD: Lung Volume Reduction Surgery
- Acute Bronchitis
- Respiratory Problems, Age 11 and Younger
- Respiratory Problems, Age 12 and Older
- Breathing Smoke or Fumes
- Pulmonary (Lung) Nodules
- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
- COPD's Effect on the Lungs
- Black Lung Disease
- Oral Breathing Devices for Snoring
- Spinal Cord Injury: Breathing Practice
- Breathing Problems: Using a Dry Powder Inhaler
- COPD: Clearing Your Lungs
- Collapsed Lung (Pneumothorax)
- Interactive Tool: Should I Consider Surgery for My Low Back Problem?
- COPD: Learning to Breathe Easier
- Lung Function in COPD
- COPD: Handling a Flare-Up
- Sarah's Story: Dealing With the Emotions From COPD
- Fran's Story: Finding Support When You Have COPD
-
Multiple Sclerosis
- Multiple Sclerosis: Alternative Treatments
- Multiple Sclerosis: Modifying Your Home
- Multiple Sclerosis: Bladder Problems
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Types of Multiple Sclerosis
- Multiple Sclerosis Progression
- Multiple Sclerosis: MRI Results
- Multiple Sclerosis: Mental and Emotional Problems
- Multiple Sclerosis: Questions About What to Expect
- Rehabilitation Programs for Multiple Sclerosis
- Obesity
-
Rehabilitation and Exercise
- Breathing Exercises: Using a Manual Incentive Spirometer
- Sensual Exercises for Erection Problems
- Breastfeeding: Exercise and Weight Loss
- Jaw Problems: Exercise and Relaxation
- Exercises for Arm and Wrist
- Kegel Exercises
- Tennis Elbow: Stretches and Strengthening Exercises
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Exercise
- Neck Exercises
- Stress Management: Imagery Exercises
- Sprained Ankle: Rehabilitation Exercises
- Plantar Fasciitis: Exercises to Relieve Pain
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Medicine and Exercise
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Monitoring Your Body's Response to Exercise
- Rotator Cuff Problems: Exercises You Can Do at Home
- Stress Management: Breathing Exercises
- ACL Injury: Exercises to Do Before Treatment
- Spinal Cord Injury: Sensual Exercises
- Martha's Story: A Voice for Recovery
- Stan's Story: Getting There Hasn't Been Easy
- Debbie's Story: People Can and Do Recover
- Susan's Story: A Friend Really Helps
- Meniscus Tear: Rehabilitation Exercises
- Patellar Tracking Disorder: Exercises
- Stress Management: Breathing Exercises for Relaxation
- Good-Health Attitude
-
Sexual, Reproductive Health
- Menopause: Should I Use Hormone Therapy (HT)?
- Abnormal Uterine Bleeding: Should I Have a Hysterectomy?
- PMS: Should I Try an SSRI Medicine for My Symptoms?
- Sexual Orientation
- Gender Identity and Transgender Issues
- Heavy Menstrual Periods
- Pubic Lice
- Menopause and Your Risk for Other Health Concerns
- Menstrual Cups
- Gender Dysphoria
- Menstrual Cycle: Dealing With Cramps
- Men's Health
- Sexual and Reproductive Organs
- Sexual Health
- Women's Health
- Genital Warts
- Sexuality While Breastfeeding
- Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
- Chlamydia
- Sexuality and Physical Changes With Aging
- Relieving Menstrual Pain
- Uterine Fibroids
- Gonorrhea
- Syphilis
- Neurosyphilis
- Congenital Syphilis
- Emotions and Menopause
- Hot Flashes and Menopause
- Vaginal Dryness During and After Menopause
- Genital Herpes
- Parkinson's Disease and Sexual Problems
- Male Genital Problems and Injuries
- Menstrual Cramps
- Missed or Irregular Periods
- Genital Self-Examination
- Missed Periods and Endurance Training
- Rashes or Sores in the Groin
- Other Health Problems Caused by Herpes Simplex Virus
- Arrhythmias and Sexual Activity
- Stages of Syphilis
- Normal Vaginal Discharge
- Vaginal Rashes and Sores
- Vaginal Fistula
- Soy for Menopause Symptoms
- Menopause: Wild Yam and Progesterone Creams
- Normal Menstrual Cycle
- Vaginal Pessaries
- Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE)
- Uterine Fibroids: Should I Use GnRH-A Therapy?
- Uterine Fibroids: Should I Have Uterine Fibroid Embolization?
- Menopause: Managing Hot Flashes
- Premature Ejaculation
- High-Risk Sexual Behaviour
- Object in the Vagina
- Periodic Limb Movement Disorder
- Military Sexual Trauma
- Sexual Problems in Women
- Female Genital Problems and Injuries
- Smoking: Sexual and Reproductive Problems
-
Skin, Nails and Rashes
- Hidradenitis Suppurativa
- Removing Moles and Skin Tags
- Caregiving: Skin Care for Immobile Adults
- Yeast Skin Infection
- Bruises and Blood Spots Under the Skin
- Skin, Hair, and Nails
- Nail Psoriasis
- Phototherapy for Psoriasis
- Psoriasis
- Ringworm of the Skin
- Rash, Age 12 and Older
- Sunburn: Skin Types
- Heat Rash
- Colour Changes in Nails
- Changes in Your Nails
- Cut That Removes All Layers of Skin
- Skin Changes
- Venous Skin Ulcer
- Venous Skin Ulcers: Home Treatment
- Atopic Dermatitis: Taking Care of Your Skin
- Seborrheic Keratoses
- Care for a Skin Wound
- Psoriasis: Skin, Scalp, and Nail Care
- Protecting Your Skin From the Sun
- Skin Rashes: Home Treatment
- Skin Cyst: Home Treatment
- Calluses and Corns
- Calluses and Corns: Using Pumice Stones
- Calluses and Corns: Protective Padding
- Tazarotene (Psoriasis/Acne) - Topical
- Types of Acne
- Acne: Treatment With Benzoyl Peroxide
- Acne: Treatment With Alpha Hydroxy Acids
- Acne: Treatment With Salicylic Acid
- Acne: Treatment With Antibiotics
- Acne
- Acne: Tips for Keeping It Under Control
- Acne: Should I Take Isotretinoin for Severe Acne?
- Acne: Should I See My Doctor?
-
Thyroid
- Hyperthyroidism: Should I Use Antithyroid Medicine or Radioactive Iodine?
- Thyroid Storm
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Thyroid - Oral
- Subclinical Hypothyroidism
- Hypothyroidism
- Hyperthyroidism: Graves' Ophthalmopathy
- Radioactive Iodine for Hyperthyroidism
- Hyperthyroidism
- Thyroid Nodules
- Thyroid Hormone Production and Function
- Vertigo
- Check Your Symptoms
- Search Health Topics
Topic Overview

What is tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow is soreness or pain on the outer part of the elbow. It happens when you damage the tendons that connect the muscles of your forearm to your elbow. The pain may spread down your arm to your wrist. If you don't treat the injury, it may hurt to do simple things like turn a key or open a door.
Your doctor may call this condition lateral epicondylitis.
What causes tennis elbow?
Most of the time tennis elbow is caused by overuse. You probably got it from doing activities where you twist your arm over and over. This can stress the tendon, causing tiny tears that in time lead to pain. A direct blow to the outer elbow can also cause tendon damage.
Tennis elbow is common in tennis players, but most people get it from other activities that work the same muscles, such as gardening, painting, or using a screwdriver. It is often the result of using equipment that is the wrong size or using it the wrong way.
Anyone can get tennis elbow, but it usually occurs in people in their 40s.
How is tennis elbow diagnosed?
To diagnose tennis elbow, a doctor will examine your elbow and ask questions about the elbow problem, your daily activities, and past injuries. You probably won't need to have an X-ray, but you might have one to help rule out other things that could be causing the pain.
If your symptoms don't get better with treatment, you might have an imaging test, such as an MRI. This can tell your doctor whether a bone problem or tissue damage is causing your symptoms.
How is it treated?
You can start treating tennis elbow at home right away.
- Rest your arm, and avoid any activity that makes the pain worse.
- As soon as you notice pain, use ice or cold packs for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, several times a day. Always put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin. Keep using ice as long as it relieves pain. Or use a warm, moist cloth or take hot baths if they feel good. Do what works for you.
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or naproxen (NSAIDs) or acetaminophen if you need them. Or try an NSAID cream that you rub over the sore area. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.
- Wear a counterforce brace when you need to grasp or twist something. This is a strap worn around your forearm just below the elbow. It may ease the pressure on the tendon and spread force throughout your arm.
After the pain eases, your doctor or physiotherapist can teach you rehabilitation (rehab) exercises to stretch and strengthen your tendon. Doing these exercises at home can help your tendon heal and can prevent further injury.
When you feel better, you can return to your activity, but take it easy for a while. Don't start at the same level as before your injury. Build back to your previous level slowly, and stop if it hurts. To avoid damaging your tendon again:
- Take lessons or ask a trainer or pro to check the way you are doing your activity. If the way you use a tool is the problem, try switching hands or changing your grip. Make sure you are using the right equipment for your size and strength.
- Always take time to warm up before and stretch after you exercise.
- After the activity, apply ice to prevent pain and swelling.
Be patient, and stay with your treatment. You will probably feel better in a few weeks, but it may take 6 to 12 months for the tendon to heal. In some cases, the pain lasts for 2 years or longer.
If your symptoms don't improve after 6 to 8 weeks of home treatment, your doctor may suggest a shot of corticosteroid. This could give you some short-term relief so you can start rehab exercises. But in the long term, having the corticosteroid shot may not help any more than not having it. Surgery is seldom needed for tennis elbow.
Health Tools
Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.
Cause
Overuse of the forearm muscles using a repeated twisting motion is the most common cause of tennis elbow. These movements are common to various jobs, such as carpentry or plumbing, and to many daily activities, such as yard work and lifting objects. Racquet sports, swimming, and throwing sports (such as baseball) can also lead to tennis elbow.
Tennis elbow injuries can result from:
- Overuse. Repeated movements that involve twisting of the elbow cause small tears in the tendon, weakening it. Overuse depends on how hard or how long you do something.
- Technique, or the way you do an activity. This includes holding equipment or a tool in a awkward position while you use it.
- Equipment. This can happen, for example, if you use a tool or sports equipment that is too heavy for you or that has a grip that is the wrong size for your hand.
- A single injury, such as a direct hit to the side of the elbow (lateral epicondyle), or falling on an outstretched arm.
Symptoms
Tennis elbow symptoms usually begin gradually. The main symptom is pain, which may begin with a dull aching or soreness on the outer part of the elbow that goes away within 24 hours after an activity. As time goes on, it may take longer for the pain to go away. The condition may further progress to pain with any movement, even during everyday activities, such as lifting a jug of milk. Pain may spread to the hand, wrist, other parts of the arm, shoulder, or neck.
Tennis elbow pain:
- Usually occurs in the dominant arm (your right arm if you are right-handed, or left arm if you are left-handed).
- Affects the outside of the elbow (the side away from your body). Pain increases when that area is pressed or when you are grasping or twisting objects.
- May increase in the evening and make sleep difficult. The elbow might be stiff in the morning.
- Over time may occur with mild activity, such as picking up a coffee cup, turning a jar lid or doorknob or key, or shaking hands. Simply starting your car could hurt. You may even have pain when you aren't using your elbow.
Other parts of the arm, shoulder, and neck may also become sore or painful as the body tries to make up for the loss of elbow movement and strength.
Swelling rarely occurs with tennis elbow. If your elbow is swollen, you may have another type of condition, such as arthritis.
Radial tunnel syndrome is an unusual type of nerve entrapment that is sometimes confused with or can develop at the same time as tennis elbow.
What Happens
Tennis elbow pain is a symptom of tendon injury.
Overuse or stress can cause microtears in the tendon. This usually occurs because of repetitive motions of the arm or wrist. The longer you use an injured tendon, the more damaged it becomes.
The most common symptom of tennis elbow is pain on the outside of the elbow. Given enough rest, the tendon can mend on its own. But if you continue the activity, the weakened tendon may become more vulnerable to tear or rupture from a sudden accidental blow, fall, or forceful movement.
With early rest and treatment, an injured tendon is likely to heal with minimal scar tissue and maximum strength. While a recent, mild tendon injury might need a few weeks of rest to heal, a severely damaged tendon can take months to mend.
- Mild soreness in the elbow that comes and goes may improve in 6 to 8 weeks.
- Prolonged elbow pain and soreness may improve in 6 to 12 months. In some cases, the pain lasts for 2 years or longer.
- Severe elbow pain or tennis elbow that doesn't improve with 6 to 12 months of tendon rest and rehab may benefit from surgery.
What Increases Your Risk
Risk factors for tennis elbow include:
- Activities that involve repeated movements of the forearm, wrist, and fingers. This includes grasping and twisting arm movements done in jobs (such as carpentry, plumbing, or working on an assembly line), daily activities (such as lifting objects or gardening), and sports (such as racquet sports, throwing sports, or swimming).
- Improper techniques while doing certain movements, such as gripping a handle or twisting an object.
- Improper equipment for work, daily activities, and sports, such as using a hammer or a tennis racquet with a grip that is the wrong size for your hand.
- Age. Tennis elbow is most common in people who are in their 40s.
- History of tendon injuries. Some people seem susceptible to tendon injury, based on a history of various tendon injuries such as rotator cuff disorders.
If you think that your workplace activity is causing elbow pain or soreness, talk to your human resources department for information on other ways of doing your job, equipment changes, or other job assignments. For more information, see the topic Office Ergonomics.
When should you call your doctor?
Call your doctor now if you had an injury to your elbow and:
- You have severe elbow pain.
- You cannot move your elbow normally.
- Your elbow looks deformed.
- Your elbow starts to swell within 30 minutes of the injury.
- You have signs of damage to the nerves or blood vessels. These include:
- Numbness, tingling, or a "pins-and-needles" sensation below the injury.
- Pale or bluish skin.
- The injured arm feeling colder to the touch than the uninjured one.
Call your doctor if you have:
- Pain when grasping, twisting, or lifting objects.
- Problems caused by your elbow pain.
- Elbow pain after 2 weeks of home treatment or if treatment is making your elbow pain worse.
Watchful waiting
Watchful waiting is a wait-and-see approach. You and your doctor watch your symptoms to see if your health improves on its own. If it does, no treatment is needed. If your symptoms don't get better or they get worse, then it's time to take the next treatment step.
Home treatment often helps mild tennis elbow pain. You may want to try resting the elbow and applying ice or heat several times a day for 1 to 2 weeks before you call your doctor.
Examinations and Tests
Your doctor can usually determine if you have tennis elbow by talking to you about the history of your symptoms, daily activities, and past injuries. You'll have a physical examination too.
X-rays aren't usually needed for diagnosis of tennis elbow but can sometimes rule out other causes of elbow pain, such as arthritis, signs of another type of injury, or a buildup of calcium crystals in a tendon or ligament. X-rays can show unusual bone structure that might cause soft-tissue damage (such as to tendons or muscles), but they don't show soft tissues very clearly. If your elbow pain isn't severe and can't be linked to a specific injury, your doctor may recommend starting treatment without doing X-rays to see whether the problem clears up in a few weeks.
If non-surgical treatment (such as rest, the use of ice and anti-inflammatory drugs, rehabilitation exercises, and changing or stopping certain activities) hasn't helped relieve elbow pain, or if the diagnosis is unclear, other tests may be helpful.
- MRI can show problems in soft tissues such as tendons and muscles.
- Arthroscopy allows the doctor to see inside the elbow and get information that can be used with what he or she knows from your X-rays or physical examination. (Doctors can surgically treat tennis elbow with arthroscopy.)
- Bone scans are done in rare cases. They can show stress fractures in the bone or certain disease conditions, such as a tumour or infection.
If your doctor thinks you have nerve damage, electromyogram and nerve conduction tests can check how well your nerves are working.
Treatment Overview
Tennis elbow treatment is most often successful. The most important part of treatment is tendon rest. A long rest from aggravating activity allows the small tears in the tendon to heal. Depending on how severe your condition is, you may need to rest your tendon for weeks to months. Surgery is a last resort if other treatment isn't helpful.
Initial home treatment
Treatment for tennis elbow works best when it starts as soon as symptoms appear. If your condition is just starting, rest may be all you need. But in most cases, more treatment is needed to protect and heal the tendon.
You can treat your tennis elbow by:
- Reducing pain.
- As soon as you notice pain, use ice or cold packs for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, several times a day. Always put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin. Keep using ice as long as it relieves pain. Or use a warm, moist cloth or take hot baths if they feel good. Do what works for you.
- You can also take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including aspirin (such as Entrophen), ibuprofen (such as Advil), or naproxen (such as Aleve). Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 18 because of the risk of Reye syndrome, a serious illness. Or try an NSAID cream that you rub over the sore area. Acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) can also help with pain.
- Stopping or changing activities that may irritate the tendon. Learn new techniques for certain movements, and use different equipment that may reduce the stress on your forearm muscles.
Wrist and elbow splints can be used in the treatment of tennis elbow. Splints are sometimes helpful for other bone, joint, and tendon problems. But splints have not been shown to help with pain or recovery for tennis elbow injuries.
Ongoing treatment
Over the first months of recovery from tennis elbow, continue your initial treatment and begin:
- Rehabilitation (rehab). This can include exercise and other physiotherapy treatments to decrease pain and increase range-of motion.
- Exercises for flexibility and arm muscle strength include the following:
- Warm-up exercises for tennis elbow
- Stretching exercises for tennis elbow
- Strengthening exercises for tennis elbow
- Wearing a special counterforce brace. This strap, worn around your forearm just below the elbow, may spread pressure throughout the arm instead of putting it all on the tendon. With a counterforce brace, you may do some grasping and twisting activities. It won't help, though, if you continue using a poor technique or the wrong equipment that originally caused your tennis elbow. You don't need a doctor's advice before trying a counterforce brace. You can find these braces in most pharmacies or sporting goods stores.
- Working with an expert to see whether you need to change how you do an activity or what equipment you use. A sports trainer can help with sports activities and equipment. An ergonomic specialist, occupational therapist, or physiotherapist can help with your workplace, including what tools you use, how your workspace is set up, and how you do your job.
Treatment if the condition gets worse or does not improve
The longer you continue activity that harms the tendon after tennis elbow symptoms begin, the longer rehab will take. This ongoing activity can cause severe tendon damage and may someday require surgery. If your symptoms don't go away, your doctor may suggest:
- Corticosteroid injection. An injection is sometimes used when you still have pain after 6 to 8 weeks of rest and rehab. It may help relieve pain for a short time. But over the long term, having the corticosteroid injection may not help any more than not having it.footnote 1 Corticosteroids may be harmful to the tendon. But this is usually only a problem after having many injections in the same year.
- Ultrasound therapy. Ultrasound may help your tendon heal and stop pain.
- Surgery, which is seldom used to treat tennis elbow (less than 5 out of 100 cases).footnote 2 Surgery may be a treatment option if persistent elbow pain doesn't improve after 6 to 12 months of tendon rest and rehab. Surgery usually involves cutting (releasing) the tendon, removing damaged tissue from the tendon, or both. In some cases, tendon tears can be repaired.
What to think about
Your treatment choices will depend in part on whether elbow pain affects your job or daily life. It also depends on whether you are willing or able to change habits or activities that are causing your elbow pain.
Non-surgical treatment is usually started if the injury is:
- A result of overuse.
- A sudden (acute) injury that doesn't have large tears in the tendon or other severe damage in the elbow.
Most cases of tennis elbow respond to rest, ice, rehab exercises, pain medicine, and counterforce braces. This injury does take from 6 months to 12 months to heal. Patience helps.
Surgery is considered as a last resort when all other non-surgical treatments have failed. You may be referred for surgery if:
- The injury is from a sudden (acute) injury that left large tears in the tendon or other severe damage in the elbow.
- The injury is from chronic overuse and more than 6 to 12 months of tendon rest and rehab haven't relieved elbow pain. (If the tendon is very weak, surgery may not improve your situation much.)
- Pain continues despite other treatment.
- You have had a corticosteroid shot and it hasn't helped.
In as many as 9 out of 10 people who have tennis elbow, symptoms go away and the people can return to their normal activities whether they have had surgery or not.footnote 3
Prevention
The best way to prevent tennis elbow is to stretch and strengthen your arm muscles so that they are flexible and strong enough for your activities.
Other ways to prevent tennis elbow include:
- Staying in good overall physical shape.
- Using the correct techniques and movements during activities.
- Using equipment appropriate for your ability, body size, and body strength.
- Not overusing your arm with repeated movements that can injure your tendon. For example, alternate hands during activities, if possible.
- Strengthening the muscles of your arm, shoulder, and upper back to help take stress off of your elbow.
- Wearing a counterforce brace during activities that require grasping or twisting arm movements. A counterforce brace is a strap worn around your forearm just below your elbow. This brace may distribute pressure from muscle use throughout the arm, easing pressure on the tendon. The brace is not usually used for prevention. But it may be recommended for someone who is at very high risk for tennis elbow. Talk to your doctor if you are thinking of using one of these braces for prevention. A counterforce brace is not a substitute for rehab exercises or an excuse to continue overuse activities.
If you feel that certain activities at your job are causing elbow pain or soreness, talk to your human resources department for information on other ways of doing your job. They can help with changes to equipment or other job assignments.
Consider taking lessons to learn the proper technique for sports, such as tennis and golf, that require grasping and twisting motions in the arm. Have a sports trainer or a person who is familiar with sports equipment check yours to make sure it suits your level of ability, body size, and body strength.
In daily routines or hobbies, look for activities that use repeated arm movements that strain your fingers, wrist, or forearm, such as in gardening, cooking, or playing musical instruments. Train yourself to use techniques that won't stress your elbow. For example, when you lift objects, lift with the palm of your hand facing upwards.
Home Treatment
If you have tennis elbow, follow these simple steps to reduce pain and start tendon healing. A rehab program such as this will prevent further injury by making your arm muscles stronger.
- Rest your fingers, wrist, and forearm muscles to allow your tendon to heal. Stop any activity that you think may be causing your elbow pain and soreness. Depending on the severity of tendon damage, you may have to avoid this activity for weeks to months.
- As soon as you notice pain, use ice or cold packs for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, several times a day. Always put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin. Keep using ice as long as it relieves pain. Or use a warm, moist cloth or take hot baths if they feel good. Do what works for you.
- Wear a counterforce brace during activities that require grasping or twisting arm movements. A counterforce brace is a strap worn around your forearm just below your elbow. This brace may spread pressure throughout the arm instead of putting it all on the tendon. These braces are not a substitute for rehab exercises.
- Try elevating your elbow to help ease pain and reduce swelling in your wrist or forearm.
- Take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including aspirin (such as Entrophen), ibuprofen (such as Advil), or naproxen (such as Aleve) to reduce pain and inflammation. NSAIDs come in pills and in a cream that you rub over the sore area. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label. Acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) can also help with pain.
- Do simple warm-up and stretching exercises to keep your tendons from getting stiff. If you have any pain, stop the exercises.
- When your pain is gone, start doing stretching and strengthening exercises, then gradually increase these exercises. Learn the correct techniques and which equipment is best for your activities.
Medications
Along with tendon rest, people often use medicine to treat tennis elbow. Medicine can help with pain and relieve or reduce swelling.
Medication choices
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including aspirin (such as Entrophen), ibuprofen (such as Advil), or naproxen (such as Aleve), are the most commonly used medicines for treating tennis elbow. NSAIDs are available with or without a prescription. NSAIDs come in pills and in a cream that you rub over the sore area. Acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) can also help with pain. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.
Your doctor may suggest corticosteroid injections (shots) if you are still in pain after at least 6 to 8 weeks of tendon rest and rehab. Corticosteroids are a class of powerful anti-inflammatory medicine. Even though inflammation isn't usually present in long-term (chronic) tennis elbow, corticosteroid shots may ease elbow pain for a short time. But in the long term, having the steroid shot may not help any more than not having it.
What to think about
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and corticosteroid shots don't cure tennis elbow. But they can reduce pain and give you enough relief to start rehab.
Surgery
Most cases of tennis elbow are treated without surgery. Less than 5 out of 100 cases require surgery.footnote 4 You and your doctor might consider surgery if several months of tendon rest and rehabilitation (rehab) haven't stopped the pain or returned the flexibility and strength to your forearm.
Consider surgery if:
- Your elbow is still sore and painful after more than 6 to 12 months of tendon rest and rehab.
- Your doctor has ruled out other possible causes of elbow pain, such as nerve problems, arthritis, muscle injury, or injury to another tendon.
- You can't do normal daily activities and job tasks because of elbow pain.
Your doctor may suggest that you try a corticosteroid injection before you think about surgery. A steroid shot may help ease elbow pain for a short time. But over the long term, having the steroid shot may not help any more than not having it.
During surgery, a doctor will most likely cut (release) the tendon, remove damaged tissue from the tendon, or both. In some cases, tendon tears can be repaired.
After surgery, rehab is needed to restore flexibility and strength in the forearm.
Surgery choices
Surgery for tennis elbow involves cutting (releasing) the tendon and removing damaged tissue from the tendon. In some cases, tendon tears are repairable (reattached) if the repair can be done without overtightening the tendon. These procedures can be done both arthroscopically and through a larger incision (open surgery) or with a combination of the two techniques.
What to think about
There are different approaches to surgery for tennis elbow, such as where to enter the elbow and what type of reconstruction or repair on the tendon is done. Surgical technique is determined by the type, location, and severity of the injury and by the doctor's preference and experience.
There is no strong medical research that shows that one type of surgery is better than another or that surgery is better than other treatment.footnote 5
The success of surgery depends in large part on the amount of time and effort you put into a rehab program.
Other Treatment
Other treatment for tennis elbow pain includes physical rehabilitation (rehab), acupuncture, topical nitric oxide, shock wave therapy, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).
Physical rehab is combined with tendon rest to restore flexibility and build muscle strength. Rehab is needed after surgery too.
Other treatment choices
A physical rehab program includes:
- Relieving pain.
- Maintaining good overall physical fitness.
- Exercises, including warm-ups, stretching, and strengthening.
- Learning new techniques for certain movements; using equipment that best suits your ability, body size, and strength; and limiting activities that require grasping or twisting arm movements.
- Retraining and ergonomic changes at your work site. For more information, see the topic Office Ergonomics.
Other treatments include:
- Acupuncture. Small studies report tennis elbow relief after acupuncture treatment. But there is not enough strong evidence to support or refute this treatment.footnote 6
- Extracorporeal shock wave therapy. A review of shock wave therapy for tennis elbow had conflicting findings. Some studies reported that shock wave therapy improved tennis elbow recovery. But others found that it offered no therapeutic benefit when compared to placebo treatment.footnote 7
- Topical nitric oxide. In a patch form, nitric oxide is applied to the elbow to speed recovery. This medicine has been used as a treatment for tennis elbow for a short time. One study showed positive results.footnote 8
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). TENS is sometimes used to treat tennis elbow, usually in a physiotherapy setting.
What to think about
A physical rehab program not only helps heal injured tendons and muscles but also helps prevent further injury.
Physical rehab combined with tendon rest is the main tennis elbow treatment. Corticosteroid shots are only considered if several weeks of rest and rehab have not reduced symptoms. Surgery may be considered after 6 to 12 months of non-surgical treatment.
If the type of work you do is causing your injury, an occupational therapist may help you change how you are working or the kind of work that you do.
Related Information
References
Citations
- Coombes BK, et al. (2010). Efficacy and safety of corticosteroid injections and other injections for management of tendinopathy: A systematic review of randomised controlled trials. Lancet, 376(9754): 1751–1767.
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and American Academy of Pediatrics (2010). Medial and lateral epicondylitis. In JF Sarwark, ed., Essentials of Musculoskeletal Care, 4th ed., pp. 370–374. Rosemont, IL: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
- Rasouli A, Gupta R (2007). Elbow, wrist, and hand injuries. In PJ McMahon, ed., Current Diagnosis and Treatment in Sports Medicine, pp. 146–159. New York: McGraw-Hill.
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and American Academy of Pediatrics (2010). Medial and lateral epicondylitis. In JF Sarwark, ed., Essentials of Musculoskeletal Care, 4th ed., pp. 370–374. Rosemont, IL: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
- Buchbinder R, et al. (2011). Surgery for lateral elbow pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (3).
- Bissett L, et al. (2011). Tennis elbow, search date June 2009. BMJ Clinical Evidence. Available online: http://www.clinicalevidence.com.
- Buchbinder R, et al. (2005). Shock wave therapy for lateral elbow pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (4). Oxford: Update Software.
- Paoloni J, et al. (2003). Topical nitric oxide application in the treatment of chronic extensor tendinosis at the elbow. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 31(6): 915–920.
Other Works Consulted
- Chiou P, Borg-Stein J (2010). Cumulative trauma disorders. In WR Frontera, ed., DeLisa's Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 5th ed., vol. 1, pp. 923–936. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
- Hertling D, Kessler RM (2006). Elbow and forearm. In D Hertling, RM Kessler, eds., Management of Common Musculoskeletal Disorders: Physical Therapy Principles and Methods, 4th ed., pp. 357–390. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
- Regan WD, et al. (2010). Tendinopathies around the elbow. In JC DeLee et al., eds., DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: Principles and Practice, 3rd ed., pp. 1197–1213. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.
Credits
Current as of: July 1, 2021
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
William H. Blahd Jr. MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Anne C. Poinier MD - Internal Medicine
Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine
Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine
David Bardana MD, FRCSC - Orthopedic Surgery, Sports Medicine
Current as of: July 1, 2021
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:William H. Blahd Jr. MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & Anne C. Poinier MD - Internal Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & David Bardana MD, FRCSC - Orthopedic Surgery, Sports Medicine
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Learn how we develop our content.
Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.