In individuals aged 40 to 70, the overwhelming majority of elbow pain represents tennis or golfer’s elbow. These are misnamed lateral epicondylitis (tennis) and medial epicondylitis (golfer’s).
These are tendon problems, not bone problems, and “-itis” suggest inflammation, yet the main reasons these are very slow to recover is that they represent tendon degeneration and partial tearing of the tendon. Many physicians don’t recognize this because without use of ultrasound or MRI, you cannot make this determination. We use MSK ultrasound very effectively in our office, and it is much more efficient and less expensive than an MRI.
What about advanced treatment options? We have some of the most cutting edge options when it comes to these stubborn tendon problems Here are three options that are minimally invasive and produce outstanding results with very few risks:
1) Platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections. these are derived from your blood and involve introducing powerful growth factors to stimulate a healing response. PRP has been used very effectively in the treatment of tendon-related elbow pain now for about 15 years. We’ve been doing these since the beginning.
2) The Tenex procedure: we’ve done this one since 2012. It is performed in an operating room and involves a lidocaine injection only, no general anesthesia; a tiny incision and introducing a small handpiece into the tendon which debrides/excises the unhealthy part of the tendon. Typically, two minutes of treatment time or less, no stitches and an approximate 95% success rate.
Want to know more about the Tenex procedure and tennis elbow? Click here
3) The TendoNova procedure: this is a new one. Similar to the Tenex, but we do this in the office. Instead of a small incision, this involves the introduction of an oscillating needle that helps debride the tendon and stimulate a healing response. We really like combining this with a PRP injection, getting the best of both worlds. A minor structural treatment with a biological treatment, both of which stimulate healing.
If you or someone else you know has a stubborn elbow problem, come see us! This is one of our favorite areas to treat, and we love seeing our patients return to tennis, golf, weightlifting, pickleball, and household projects with resolution of pain and much improved function. Highly satisfied patients bring us joy.
