What causes tendinitis? How does tendinitis occur?

Written by Sun Shu Jian
Orthopedics
Updated on April 23, 2025
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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.

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Written by Li Jin
Orthopedics
57sec home-news-image

Can tenosynovitis heal itself?

Tendon sheath inflammation is primarily due to long-term engagement in certain frequent activities, causing inflammatory damage to the tendons and tendon sheaths. This results in symptoms such as swelling and limited mobility. It is difficult to cure without treatment intervention. For the treatment of tendon sheath inflammation, it is firstly important to rest and stop the frequent activity. Medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics can also be used. Additionally, treatments such as applying heat, physiotherapy, and local encapsulation can be employed. Through these treatments, some patients can recover effectively. When there is a significant impact on life due to functional impairment, surgical treatment may also be considered. Post-surgery, it is important to start functional exercises early to prevent adhesion. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a physician.)

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Written by Sun Shu Jian
Orthopedics
46sec home-news-image

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.

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Written by Guan Yu Hua
Orthopedic Surgery
1min 26sec home-news-image

Causes of tenosynovitis

The causes of tenosynovitis, simply put, the tendon sheath is a double-layered dense synovial tube that encases the tendons. It acts as a protective fluid sheath for the tendons, consisting of two layers enveloping the tendon. Between these two layers is a cavity filled with synovial fluid. The inner layer is closely attached to the tendon, while the outer layer lines the inside of the tendon fibrous sheath, jointly attaching to the bone. It primarily functions to stabilize, protect, and lubricate the tendons, preventing them from friction-induced damage and compression. Long periods of excessive friction can lead to damage in both the tendon and its sheath, leading to swelling and pain, which are the symptoms of tenosynovitis. For example, certain occupations such as bricklayers, carpenters, those who work extensively with computers, and chefs who frequently stir with spoons, as well as seamstresses in textile factories, are prone to developing tenosynovitis. There might be a link between this condition and occupational diseases. In such cases, applying heat can be helpful, and if the pain is particularly severe, enclosed treatments might be conducted. Additionally, taking drugs that promote blood circulation and relieve pain might be advisable. In severe cases, surgical treatment may be necessary. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Li Jin
Orthopedics
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How to relieve tenosynovitis

Tendinitis is a chronic occupational disease that can cause inflammatory damage to the tendon and tendon sheath, leading to symptoms such as swelling and limited mobility. For the treatment of tendinitis, oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be taken, or topical ointments can be applied to the affected area to reduce inflammation and relieve pain, which can effectively alleviate the symptoms of tendinitis. It is also important to rest, and treatments such as heat application, physiotherapy, or local injections can be used. These methods can effectively improve symptoms and even achieve a cure. If conservative treatment is ineffective or if there is a functional impairment, minimally invasive procedures or surgery may also be considered.

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Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
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Is electrothermal therapy effective for tendinitis?

Regarding the question of whether electrothermal therapy is effective for tenosynovitis. First, it needs to be affirmed that electrothermal therapy is beneficial for patients with tenosynovitis. The primary purpose of electrothermal therapy is to promote local blood circulation and facilitate the absorption of inflammatory exudates, which can effectively alleviate the clinical symptoms of the patient's tenosynovitis, and the results are quite good. Therefore, patients with tenosynovitis can undergo electrothermal therapy. In addition, for patients with tenosynovitis, local injections, topical plasters that activate blood circulation and remove blood stasis, and daily local hot washing can also be performed. Hot washing with Sichuan pepper and salt in hot water is usually sufficient. For patients with severe tenosynovitis, it is necessary to actively pursue surgical treatment.