If you constantly experience shooting pain in your forearm and find it tough even to open the door, you might be affected by tennis elbow. Quite contrary to what its name suggests, this condition is not exclusive to tennis players. It can have an effect on anyone who overuses their forearms. Even day to day activities like cutting meat and vegetables or using the computer mouse repeatedly can cause this issue. However, you can get rid of it rather simply with the help of some home remedies. First let us see what is tennis elbow..
What is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is medically referred to as lateral epicondylitis. This condition usually happens when the tendons in the elbow are overloaded by repetitive motions of the wrist and the arm.
The pain that accompanies tennis elbow usually happens in the tendons of your forearm, which is connected to the bony bump outside your elbow. This pain can even spread to your forearm and wrist.
Other symptoms of tennis elbow are listed below.
Signs and Symptoms of tennis elbow
- Difficulty in shaking hands or gripping an object.
- Ache in the outer elbow.
- This ache might turn into chronic pain if left untreated.
- The main reason behind the tennis elbow is an injury caused by the overuse of the muscles and tendons of your elbow. There are many alternative factors and professions that can increase your risk of developing tennis elbow, some of which are mentioned below.
What Causes tennis Elbow?
Some of the foremost common arm motions known to cause tennis elbow are:
- Use of plumbing tools
- Driving screws
- Painting
- Cutting up ingredients, especially meat
- Repetitive use of the computer mouse
There are many risk factors that increase your possibilities of developing tennis elbow. They include:
Age: Those between thirty and fifty years of age are at a higher risk of developing tennis elbow.
Occupation: People who have jobs that require repetitive motion of the arms and wrists, for example, plumbers, painters, carpenters, cooks, etc., are at a higher risk of developing this condition.
Certain sports: engaging in too much of racket sports can even give you tennis elbow.
If you have developed this condition, don’t worry. Here is a list of natural remedies that will speed up your recovery.
How To Treat tennis elbow Naturally
1. Essential Oils
a. Lemongrass Oil
Mix 12 drops of lemongrass oil with 30 ml of any carrier oil. Apply this over your forearm and alternative aching areas. Leave it on for 30-60 minutes. Wash it off. You must try this 1 to 2 times daily.
Why This Works
Lemongrass oil is widely famed for its potent anti-inflammatory properties, which might help treat the pain and inflammation related to tennis elbow.
b. Lavender Oil
Add 12 drop of lavender oil to 30ml of any carrier oil and blend well. Apply this mixture to the affected space. Leave it on for at least 40 to 60 minutes then wash it off. Do this once daily.
Why This Works
Lavender oil is a multipurpose oil that’s widely used for healing numerous ailments. It’s anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties make it the right remedy for treating tennis elbow.
2. Turmeric
Add a teaspoon of turmeric powder to a glass of hot milk and stir well. When the milk cools down a bit, add some honey to it. Consume this mixture while it’s warm. You must consume turmeric milk 1 to 2 times daily.
Why This Works
Turmeric will work wonders in tennis elbow treatment due to the presence of a magic ingredient known as curcumin in it. Curcumin not solely speed up healing but additionally reduces the pain and inflammation to a good extent.
3. Castor Oil
Apply a tablespoon of castor oil to your elbow. Place a hot water bottle on it and leave it on for fifteen to twenty minutes. Repeat a few times. Follow this procedure once daily for a few weeks.
Why This Works
Castor oil contains a compound known as ricinoleic acid, that has anti-inflammatory properties. These properties, together with the heat, cut back the pain and inflammation.
4. Ice or Heat Pack
Apply an ice pack to the affected space. Continue doing this for 15 minutes every couple of hours. Do this for the first few days, after that you can apply a heat pack to the affected area. You must try this several times daily.
Why This Works
An ice pack will do wonders in treating tennis elbow. It does not solely provide immediate relief from pain but conjointly helps reduce any swelling within the affected area. The heat pack helps reduce inflammation.
5. Deep Tissue Massage
Deep tissue massage is increasingly becoming popular, due to its wide range of advantages. It’s commonly used to treat chronic aches and may assist you to deal with a stiff neck, lower back pain, sore shoulders, as well as tennis elbow. This massage therapy uses firm and slow strokes to reach the deeper layers of the muscles and fascia and may help relieve inflammation, pain, and disrupted circulation.
6. Aloe vera Juice
Consume a cup of aloe juice daily. Start with 2 cups of Aloe vera per day, and once you notice an improvement in your condition, reduce the intake to 1 cup per day.
Why This Works
Aloe vera juice is one of the most effective remedies to treat tennis elbow from within. It possesses wonderful healing and anti-inflammatory properties which will help reduce pain and swelling.
7. Tart Cherry Juice
Consume a cup of tart cherry juice 1 to 2 times daily.
Why This Works
Tart cherry juice reduces muscle soreness and inflammation, will increase strength, relieves pain, and quickens recovery.
8. Vitamins
Including certain vitamins in your diet can even speed up your recovery. Vitamins A and C are particularly useful in treating tennis elbow. While vitamin A increases collagen production, helps repair the torn tissues, vitamin C additionally promotes cell repair, and growth.
Some foods that are rich in these vitamins include kiwis, tomatoes, bell peppers, leafy vegetables, carrots, and dairy products. You can also take extra supplements for these vitamins, but only after consulting your doctor.
9. Fenugreek Seeds
Soak 2 tablespoons of fenugreek seeds overnight. The next morning, grind the soaked fenugreek with just enough milk to make a thick paste. Apply this paste evenly to the affected space once daily. Leave it on for couple of hours before washing it off with lukewarm water.
You can conjointly combine a teaspoon of fine-grained fenugreek in a glass of warm water and consume it.
Why This Works
Fenugreek has powerful anti-inflammatory activities that help in treating tennis elbow also as the inflammation accompanies it.
10. Potato
Boil 2 potatoes and mash them. Place the mashed potatoes in a very clean washcloth and tie it up. Wrap this washcloth over the affected area. Leave it on for half-hour. Do this 1-2 times daily.
Why This Works
Potato is another ingredient that is used for treating tennis elbow due to its strong anti-inflammatory properties. It soothes the inflammation and pain related to the condition.
11. Ginger
Add 1-2 inch of grated ginger to a cup of water. Bring it to a boil in a cooking pan and simmer for five minutes. Strain and add a touch honey. Consume the ginger tea while it’s hot thrice daily.
Why This Works
Given the powerful analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of ginger, it’s no surprise that it is used to treat a variety of ailments, particularly those associated with sports, including tennis elbows.
12. Celery Seeds
Extract the juice from a teaspoon of celery seeds. Add ten drops of this extract to a glass of warm water and blend well. Consume this mixture 2-3 times daily, ideally before each meal.
Why This Works
Celery extract possesses anti-inflammatory properties that will help in managing the pain, inflammation, and swelling related to tennis elbow.
These remedies can offer you the desired results and assist you in getting rid of tennis elbow successfully. However, this condition will recur if you do not make changes to your lifestyle. Here are a few tips.
Prevention Tips
- Avoid straining your elbows.
- Find the activity that’s causing the tennis elbow and find an alternative to it.
- Get training from professionals before indulging in sports like tennis or squash.
- Always warm-up before any intense exercise.
- Do exercises that help to strengthen your forearm muscles, like stretching and dumbbell curls.
- Get an acupuncture treatment from an expert.
- Most medical conditions need immediate treatment to prevent them from taking a complicated turn. Hence, it’s best to treat this condition at the earliest to avoid complications that may even result in surgical intervention.
