Question & Answer

Question: I overworked my arm while repairing my house about two months ago and have had constant pain at the outer bump on the elbow ever since. The doctor diagnosed "tennis elbow" injected the elbow with cortisone but it still hurts. What can I do?

Answer: I am very familiar with your problem. Always caused by over use of the forearm muscle whose tendon inserts into the lateral condyle of the elbow. Very frequent in tennis players. That how it got the name "tennis elbow." Several things can be done for it, none of which give instantaneous relief. The cortisone injection usually helps some but rarely is it the real answer.

Inflammation, caused by over use, is what causes the pain. So in order to get rid of the pain we must get rid of the inflammation. Several methods I use:

1. Get a bottle of DMSO (Dimethylsulfoxide) at your local Health Food Store. It is painted on the skin over the areas of pain twice a day and let dry. Here in Lubbock, at least one Health Food Store that I know carries it. I don't know about down there. The FDA only approves is for use on animals and it is widely used by horse trainers for painting on the sore ankles of race horses. It's anti-inflammatory effect is absorbed through the skin. I have used it for years on my patients and myself when indicated. If you can't get it at a Health Food Store, go to an animal feed store or a Vet store. Preferably use the 70% pure rather than the 99% pure stuff. The stronger stuff may irritate the skin a little although I have used it on myself with very little problem. (The strong stuff could be diluted with an appropriate amount of water if desired).

2. At the Health Food Store, get some Bromelain (a Pineapple extract that has a good anti-inflammatory effect) 1000 mg. capsules, and take one of them three times a day ON AN EMPTY STOMACH. If taken with food it acts as a digestant and not an anti-inflammatory agent. I would suggest taking one immediately on arising and just before bedtime and one about two hours after lunch. (Total of 3000 mg. a day).

3. While at the Health Food Store get some Turmeric 250 mg. capsules. Mary will recognize that Turmeric is a kitchen spice. However it is about 80% Curcumin. Curcumin is a good anti-inflammatory agent as well as a pain killer. Take one of these Turmeric caps twice a day--anytime.

4.Hot packs to the elbow for about ten minutes at least once a day. It would be good to paint the DMSO on after dilating the pores of the skin with the hot packs. However it may make it burn a little more.

5.If additional pain relief is needed, get some White Willow Bark at the Health Food Store and take two of them twice a day. They are similar to aspirin in their pain killing effect and anti-inflammatory effect WITHOUT the side effects of commercial aspirin. In fact, the commercial chemical aspirin is made from White Willow Bark.

An exercise that I have found effective is to take a regular brick (just like the ones on a house). Lay it flat on the ground. Pick it up by the sore arm hand. Pick it up with the thumb on one side of the width of the brick and the four fingers on the other side. Grip it tightly and let the arm hang straight down by your side. Then gently rotate the arm to the right as far as possible and then to the left as far as possible, all the time keeping the arm straight in a hanging position. Do one complete right--left rotation about 15 or twenty times two or three times a day. Do it less aggressively if it causes much pain.

Besides all of the above you must remember that REST is indicated whenever there is pain. Pain is Nature's signal to REST.

Dr. Wright

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