Tendinitis Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Definition
Tendinitis is a disease characterized by inflammation of the tendons, which are the tendons that connect muscles to joints. Tendons are actually made of collagen which can withstand a certain amount of pressure. However, repeated stress can cause tears in the tendons.
Tendons are found in all parts of the body. However, tendinitis usually occurs in the shoulders, elbows, wrists, thumbs, and knees. This condition often occurs due to excessive tendon contraction, for example during exercise.
Tendinitis Symptoms
Symptoms of tendinitis include:
- The pain gets worse when moving
- There is a “crack” or “plop” sensation when the tendon area is moved
- The area with tendinitis looks swollen, and red, and feels warm
Tendinitis Reason
The most common cause of tendinitis is injury, usually occurring during sports. But exercise isn’t the only cause of tendinitis. Some habits can also trigger this condition.
Some things that can increase the risk of tendinitis are as follows:
- Age. The older you get, the less flexible the tendons will be, so they are more susceptible to inflammation.
- Work. People in jobs that involve constantly stretching the joints, such as builders and athletes, are more prone to tendinitis.
- Sport. Types of sports that can trigger tendinitis are running, swimming, tennis, basketball, and golf.
- Diabetes. People with diabetes mellitus are more prone to tendinitis.
Diagnosis
To determine if someone has tendinitis, the doctor will do a history or medical interview and physical examination. Examination is carried out in the area of the tendon that is experiencing pain.
Sometimes radiological examinations may be needed, which can be in the form of X-rays, CT scans, or MRI. An examination is carried out depending on the area of the tendon and the suspected disease that is experienced.
Tendinitis Treatment
Treatment for tendinitis aims to relieve pain and inflammation. What needs to be done is:
- Resting the inflamed tendon area
- Compress the affected part with cold compresses to reduce pain
- Taking pain relievers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen
- Bandage areas of muscles and joints that experience tendinitis
If by doing these things, the complaint has not improved, the doctor can give steroid injections (anti-inflammatory drugs) to the parts of the body that experience tendinitis. Sometimes physiotherapy is also needed.
Prevention
To prevent tendinitis, the following needs to be done:
- Always warm up and cool down before and after exercise
- Avoid being in one particular position for long periods of time.
- Do exercise gradually, starting from light intensity first, increasing slowly.