Joint aches and pain are common for many adults, especially older men and women over 40 years of age. One common ailment that affects people in this category is tennis elbow. Even though tennis elbow is a common joint pain, it is not usually associated with playing tennis, but any activity associated with using the arm and wrist in a repetitive motion like hammering nails.
The pain felt on the outside of the elbow indicates stress and strain of the tendons attached to the bone around the elbow. Pain may be felt above and below the elbow and can be felt when lifting objects with your hand, shaking hands or even when trying to straighten your wrist or arm.
In order to accurately diagnose tennis elbow, a physician should be consulted. An MRI or other diagnostic tests may be needed to confirm the extent of the damage and course of treatment.
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment may consist of the following:
1. Applying ice to the site every 3-4 hours to reduce swelling 2. Wearing an elbow strap to support and protect the area around the elbow 3. Medications like ibuprofen or aspirin may help I reducing pain and swelling 4. Physical Therapy, flexing and stretching the arm with certain exercises
In summary, tennis elbow is due to inflammation around the outside of the elbow which can be the result of overuse and repetitive motion stressing the tendons. Usually, the methods and treatments listed above can help provide pain relief but more aggressive treatments may be needed. Consulting a physician is always recommended for proper diagnosis and management.
Health and wellness is not a quick walk around the track after a stop at your local burger joint. It is a long term plan and strategy that you define and execute consistently. Sensible eating and moderate exercise are the true combination to assist in losing weight and becoming more fit and healthy.
So, if now is the time to pick up a new lease in life, increase your stamina and decrease your level of fat and sugar intake, then by all means look to develop a plan around your goals and objectives.
Here are 3 steps to get started:
1. Before starting any new program, get a physical and discuss your desire with your doctor. They will give you guidance and point you in the right direction based on the results of your physical and long term goals. Ask about recommendations around nutrition, and your current physical state to determine if the activities you might enjoy are feasible.
2. Before you decide to change your eating habits, document all the foods you eat over a week or two. This will help you set a baseline of your current dietary habits and choices. Once you see what you have been consuming, determine the areas you might want to address first, like sugar or fat intake.
3. Develop a plan around the type of food and exercise choices you are willing to make initially. Keep it simple and reasonable in the type of change you are willing to make in the beginning.
If you start to make small changes with gradual adjustments, you are more likely to stick with your program. If you try to make drastic changes all at once, your willingness to continue will be less successful because you will feel that it is too difficult and abandon your plan.
