The tendons in the elbow not only are important for bending and straightening the arm, but they also are crucial for wrist and hand function. The lateral epicondyle tendon is one of the tendons in the elbow, running on the outside of the arm. Repeated movement using this tendon can cause elbow overuse injuries, including lateral epicondylitis, or tennis elbow. Our pain specialists at DOCS Health offer lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) injection treatment at our medical center in Los Angeles.

Lateral epicondylitis is called tennis elbow due to the overuse of the tendon when gripping and swinging a tennis racket. The lateral epicondyle tendon is necessary for gripping and bending the wrist backward and forward. It may be strained from vigorous use of the forearms and wrist playing many different sports or performing certain tasks. Tennis elbow is fairly common and usually can resolve on its own with rest. However, severe cases may require treatment to improve healing or for pain relief.

Interventional Treatment for Tennis Elbow

Steroid injections are a minimally-invasive treatment option for relieving pain caused by tennis elbow. The inflammation in the damaged tendon and joint can be reduced with a corticosteroid injection. The injection contains both a numbing agent and a steroid. The anesthetic will provide immediate pain relief, but it will wear off over a few hours. The steroid should offer longer pain relief, but it does require a couple of days to take effect. A steroid injection may provide long-term relief if the tendon is allowed to heal, or the pain may return in a few months.

Tennis elbow may result in a stiff, painful elbow joint and a weakened grip. If you have symptoms of lateral epicondylitis that are not responding to conservative treatments, contact DOCS Health. We offer tennis elbow injections and other treatments at our medical center in Beverly Hills, CA.