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Tendinitis
Can tenosynovitis be cured completely?
Tenosynovitis is an inflammation formed by overactivity and repeated friction against the tendon sheath. For the treatment of tenosynovitis, significant pain can be managed by orally taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce inflammation and relieve pain, such as Nimodipine and Ibuprofen. One can also take traditional Chinese medicine orally to activate blood circulation, dissipate blood stasis, reduce swelling, and relieve pain, such as Huoxue Quyu Capsules and Duyiwei Capsules. With conservative treatment, there is a certain chance of recurrence of tenosynovitis. If surgery is used to remove the proliferative part of the tenosynovitis, this condition can be radically cured and will not recur. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor)
Tendinitis mild and severe symptoms
Tendon sheath inflammation refers to the exudation and adhesion between the tendon and tendon sheath caused by excessive flexion and extension activities, resulting in a sterile inflammatory response with symptoms of localized pain and limited mobility. In the early stages of adhesive inflammation, there is severe pain in the affected area along with limited flexion and mobility. As the condition progresses and with increasing age, severe proliferation of the tendon sheath may cause compression on the tendon, leading to symptoms of constrictive tendon sheath inflammation, particularly in the extensor tendons of the index and thumb fingers, commonly known as trigger finger.
Can tendinitis be cured?
Tenosynovitis is curable, and there are currently two clinical treatment methods for tenosynovitis. The first method is conservative treatment. The most important and main point of conservative treatment is rest. You can go to the hospital to have a plaster or brace made to protect and restrict the movement of the fingers and wrist. Secondly, you can take some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs orally to relieve local pain. Third, local pain points can also be injected with a block to relieve pain. However, the number of times block needle treatment can be used is limited to once or twice a month at most. Thirdly, local hot compressions can be applied to increase local blood circulation and thereby relieve local pain. If the above conservative treatments are ineffective and symptoms progressively worsen, surgical treatment can be pursued, which can completely cure tenosynovitis. (Please use medication under the guidance of a professional physician.)
How to treat tenosynovitis of the wrist?
Tenosynovitis of the wrist occurs when excessive flexing and extending movements lead to an inflammatory reaction between the tendons and the tendon sheaths. This can cause adhesion, fibrosis, and even sterile inflammation, leading to symptoms of pain and restricted movement. For tenosynovitis, it is first recommended to rest and reduce flexing and extending movements. Physical therapy, such as infrared therapy, can be used to alleviate the local inflammatory response. If necessary, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain medications can be used for symptomatic treatment. If the above treatments are not effective, local injections may be recommended for management.
Is it good to get a steroid injection for tenosynovitis?
Treating tenosynovitis with injections is acceptable. Injections can significantly alleviate the pain caused by tenosynovitis and symptoms of limited joint mobility. However, it is imperative to take precautions during this treatment. Firstly, the injection contains steroids and anesthetics, so the number of injections must be limited. Generally, it is advisable to administer it once or twice a month. Excessive injections should be avoided as they can damage the local tendons or even the tendon sheaths, potentially exacerbating the pain from tenosynovitis or leading to spontaneous tendon ruptures. Therefore, the frequency of injections should be limited to a maximum of one to two times per month. Secondly, it’s crucial to ensure proper disinfection of the area during injections to prevent infections at the injection site and attend to potential bacterial infections. (Use of medication should be under the guidance of a physician.)
What causes tendinitis? How does tendinitis occur?
The cause of tenosynovitis is the repeated mechanical friction between the local tendon and tendon sheath, leading to chronic aseptic inflammatory changes. It is often related to repeated activity in the affected area. Excessive repetitive movement of the affected area causes local congestion, exudation, edema, and other inflammatory changes. The stimulation of inflammatory factors leads to local pain and discomfort. As the condition progresses, thickening of the tendon sheath causes the local tendon to move less smoothly within the sheath, thereby causing restricted local movement. Additionally, tenosynovitis in infants and young children is often considered to be caused by congenital factors.
How to apply heat to tendinitis
Patients with tenosynovitis can use heat application to improve symptoms and promote recovery. Heat can be applied with a hot towel or a hot water bottle to the affected area for about 10 to 20 minutes at a time, and can be done several times a day. Caution should be taken to avoid burns during heat application. Heat helps promote blood circulation and can play a role in alleviating symptoms of tenosynovitis and aiding in recovery. Additionally, patients with tenosynovitis need to rest and can also use anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications and medications that invigorate the blood and disperse stasis. Treatment can be combined with physical therapy and encapsulation techniques. These methods can be effective in improving symptoms and promoting recovery. When motor impairments occur, surgical treatment may also be necessary. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)
Diagnosis methods for tenosynovitis
Diagnosis relies on the doctor's physical examination, as well as the patient having localized pain and restricted movement, with definite tender points. Moreover, if local symptoms are atypical, an X-ray can be performed to rule out other conditions such as osteoarthritis, or bone hyperplasia, allowing for a localized diagnosis. In addition, localized symptomatic treatment can be administered, and if there is improvement, it can indirectly confirm the diagnosis of tendinitis. Typically, when there is localized pain with significant movement restriction, and apparent pain and hyperplasia at the tendon's central axis, a clear diagnosis can be made.
How to reduce swelling from tendon sheath inflammation.
Suggest local physical treatments, often involving electrical therapy and physiotherapy, along with the use of non-steroidal gels applied topically, all of which can effectively reduce local swelling. It is advised to apply for 10-20 minutes per session, two to three times per day, typically improving swelling and pain effectively within one to two weeks. For recurrent, stubborn tenosynovitis, local injection treatments are recommended when necessary, and if there is no significant improvement, local surgical treatment may be considered. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)
Causes of recurrence of wrist tenosynovitis
Tendinitis is most commonly seen in the wrist or metacarpophalangeal joints. Typically, patients will experience redness, swelling, heat, and tenderness in the wrist, along with limited joint mobility. It is usually recommended that patients rest and avoid overexertion. Due to repeated friction caused by overexertion, swelling of the annular ligament or tendon sheath can occur. This leads to insufficient circulation of synovial fluid within the joints, and excessive friction can cause damage to the tendons and tendon sheaths, resulting in chronic inflammation and swelling. This is how tendinitis develops. Repetitive tasks, such as flipping a spoon at the wrist or cooking, can cause pain, with the most common being de Quervain's tenosynovitis, which can be confirmed by physical examination. Activities like wringing a towel or cooking can lead to pain. When necessary, treatments such as injections or small needle knife therapy may be required. Rest can relieve most symptoms, but there is a high chance of recurrence. Attention should be paid to wearing wrist braces and applying local heat can help.