Tendinopathy
(A Combination of Tendonitis and Tendinosis)

What is Tendinopathy?

Inflammation is not the most common cause of tendon pain. Rather, many small (micro) tears in the connective tissue around the tendon is the more common cause of tendon pain; this condition is sometimes termed as tendinosis. Note that we are not including tendon tears or ruptures - they are another matter altogether! Tendinopathy is becoming the term more commonly used by experts to describe tendonitis (inflammation) and tendinosis (small tears in surrounding tissue) together, as it is common for both conditions to occur collectively.

Causes and Treatment for Tendinopathy

Overuse and repeated movements(RSI), sudden injuries, slow degeneration or just aging can all cause tendinopathy. Remember that healing is slow, and proper recovery is important to get your tendon back to proper health and avoid reinjury. Ultrasound treatment is quickly becoming very popular for treating this problem, as results have been very positive as long as the patient (1) keeps the area inactive throughout the healing process and (2) sticks to the treatment properly until healing has completed.

A Personal Ultrasound kit is great for tendonitis because the patient can treat themselves continuously without delay, as would happen if they went to a therapist for all their ultrasound treatments.

Patients with chronic tendonitis are instructed to avoid activities that aggravate the condition, as the tendon will not heal properly if it is constantly stressed through overuse. Occasionally, physicians performed surgery on patients or gave them injections of corticosteroids, but this is invasive and is a method of last resort.

The most common cause of an tendon inflammation (tenosynovitis or tendonitis) is overuse of the affected tendon. Rest of the affected tendon is all that is required in some cases. Other treatments such as anti-inflammatory drugs or a steroid injection are sometimes needed. Infection of a tendon is an uncommon cause but needs treatment with antibiotics if it occurs.

What is tenosynovitis and tendonitis?

* Tendonitis means inflammation of a tendon. (It is sometimes spelled as tendinitis.)
* Tenosynovitis means inflammation of the sheath that surrounds a tendon (the sheath is called the synovium). Tenosynovitis can be caused by calcium deposits, repeated strain or trauma, high levels of blood cholesterol, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or gonorrhea.
These two conditions often occur together.

Never use Ultrasound over an area injected with a steroid (ie. cortisone) for at least 30 days.

Never use Ultrasound after surgery until your physician recommends and approves of it.