# Tennis Elbow



## Frankj3 (Oct 6, 2014)

How many of you have suffered Tendinitis, or as it's commonly called, "Tennis Elbow" and have had it stop you from doing what we love?

My right elbow is just about worthless right now. I can hardly reach up to scratch my nose. My doctor has me on anti-inflammatory meds. While it is getting better it still hurts like the dickens.......

I'm wearing a strap/brace just to get by at work every day (I'm on a computer all day at work). He tells me I need to let it rest for about 6 weeks. That's easy for him to say.......he probably doesn't have a bunch of gifts to finish making.

Tennis elbow has also caused me to stop my metal detecting hobby as well. All in all, THIS SUCKS!

So, those of you who have suffered, or are suffering with this now, how are you combating it? And is your technique working for you?


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

At least your tendinitis will heal. Lots of us geezers have arthritis which basically gets worse over the long run (though I've been lucky to have a partial remission). Basically, old age sucks but I'm still kickin'!


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Frank; speaking as a long time sufferer of 'tennis elbow' you have my sympathy!
From your description you probably have _really_ aggravated it by continuing to use your computer keyboard & mouse.
Ibuprofen is my BFF... I take it _before_ I start doing something which I know I'll regret later. 
Good luck with this, eh. 
Tendon Test


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

PhilBa said:


> At least your tendinitis will heal. Lots of us geezers have arthritis which basically gets worse over the long run


+1 to that!

My doctor treated ne for tendonitis for a long time before he finalyy admitted that I _probably_ had arthritis

Regards

Phil


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## Oakwerks (May 9, 2013)

I feel for you... I "caught" it when I was just starting to build a house... The doc gave me a strap that stopped the pain, but it took my strength away to the point I couldn't grip a hammer... I finally stopped wearing it, toughed out the pain, and eventually it went away....


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Have you tried ice packs? Get a gallon zip type bag, crush ice and fill the bag (or a bag of frozen peas). Wrap the bag in a thin towel and apply for no more than 20 minutes at a time. The cold often helps reduce inflamed areas. (Wish I could apply it to the old prostate.) Ice only seems to aggravate the arthritis in my thumb. Ibuprofen is good for inflammation, but my doc says it can be hard on older and weak kidneys.


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## john60 (Aug 30, 2014)

I had it in my left elbow a number of years ago. I used one of those straps worn on the forearm. I could golf relative pain free but it was not hal. I finallly took off about 4 weeks and it healed. I continuted to wear the strap for seveal months when golfing.

I did not notice a loss of strength when wearing. Maybe wear the strap and pain kikkers till after Christmas then take some time off


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Frankj3 said:


> How many of you have suffered Tendinitis, or as it's commonly called, "Tennis Elbow" and have had it stop you from doing what we love?
> 
> My right elbow is just about worthless right now. I can hardly reach up to scratch my nose. My doctor has me on anti-inflammatory meds. While it is getting better it still hurts like the dickens.......
> 
> I'm wearing a strap/brace just to get by at work every day (I'm on a computer all day at work).


using the mouse does that to me... elbow to wrist...
switch hands for mouse use...
and learn mousing w/ more key strokes...


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## tvman44 (Jun 25, 2013)

My sympathies, I have had it in both elbow and suffered with it for several years before finally getting past it.


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## Frankj3 (Oct 6, 2014)

Thanks everyone for the feed back. Most of these suggestions I have already tried. The Meloxicam seems to be helping....along with the strap.

And DesertRat I know how you feel about the prostate. I've been a prostate patient since I was 23. I have BPH but so far my meds are keeping the swelling down. My terizosan is the ONLY meds I never let run out!!!! LOL


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## IC31 (Nov 16, 2012)

Yep. I too have it occasionally but so far not ever to the point of curtailing much anything. I just jot it down to general creaks and groans brought on my aging process and physical excesses then and now and add it to gimpy knees and a 50% useless left shoulder, both from skiing calamities. Ibuprofen or aspirin to the rescue


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## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

Frank,

I know what you are going through! I, too, suffered from a bad case in my right elbow. Like, you, I went through OTC medication for a couple of years and then steroid injections to help ease the pain and weakness. The strap helped somewhat, but when I was using a framing hammer one day and went to take a second swing and the hammer wasn't in my hand, that was it. I was to the point that I couldn't even hold a glass in my right hand without dropping it.

I had surgery to repair the tendon. They basically cut the tendon loose at the elbow, grind away the bone spur and then reattach the tendon. One week in a cast, and three more in a removable brace and some minor PT and I have not had a bit of pain, weakness, or though of it since. That was twenty years ago.

My left elbow flairs up occasionally but with rest it heals. So, I live with it.

I can't tell you what you should or need to do, but talk to your doctor. If the elbow is at a point that medications doesn't work then surgery may be the only recourse. 

I don't regret having mine fixed. It was worth the minor inconvenience of the cast/brace for a few weeks.

Good luck and I hope you get better.

Bill


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## curly1 (May 7, 2010)

Cortizone shot right where it hurts the most, then acupuncture worked for me, as for computer, try voice recognition software if possible.


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## Wood Chip (Apr 10, 2011)

Have you tried Naproxen (Aleve)? I get Tennis elbow from time to time but not very bad. Aleve helps a lot for me.


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## gomolajoe (Apr 23, 2011)

*Try stretching.*

Do a web search on "medial epicondylitis stretches". They really helped me out.

I had it in both arms and I switched arms for different activities depending on which hurt worse at the time. I learned to hammer and cast a fishing rod with my off hand. Because I never let either arm rest I took longer to heal than I hoped it would.

I still do the stretches even though my tendinitis is in check.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

"...but my doc says it can be hard on older and weak kidneys."
Ptheppp...who needs kidneys!


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## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

Most Western doctors won't admit it but acupuncture can help with such ailments. I had a similar problem with my foot and went to my MD who sent me to a foot doctor, no help. I went to my Orthopedic doctor and had physical therapy, no help. On my own I found a anesthesiologist who was the head of the pain clinic at the University of TN. Medical Center who solved the issue with 4 sessions of acupuncture. For those who don't know, an anesthesiologist is an MD who knows the body better than most other medical doctors. I have since used the same type treatments for shingles. It's not something for everybody but it has worked twice for me. Most insurance companies (except Medicare) cover it. It's not that expensive and might be worth a shot for you. The needles are so thin that you don't feel them going in. Good luck with the problem.


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## firstmuller (Aug 28, 2014)

I had it once and did the stretches and band and my trouble with the band is that having it tight enough to help, I could not grip anything. I use a trackball and not a mouse on my computer at work and home. I got it from using my hand as a hammer with a pray bar removing old tiles and have gone to power drivers for driving screw as the turning of the screw driver makes it hurt.
Allen


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Frank I've got it bad, and when I say bad I mean I couldn't lift my arm . I'm such a mental midget as I was on this site where they talking about weight lifting myths and this so called neurosurgeon claimed he'd never seen an injury from doing fast repetitions as it was basically superstition.
Well me in my infinite wisdom decided to bench press with explosive reps as compared to my usual slow careful reps . I had warmed up well and it didn't help the outcome . 
Well I have been fighting golfers elbow since the day I did those fast reps , August 7 -2013.
The pain is from my elbow to the tips of my fingers , and there's this horrible burning right in the elbow.

Now we're at 15 months since that moronic move of mine and it's still an issue . I tried ice packs and a tensor brace and they did squat . The first 3 times I tried acupuncture it seemed to help a percentage but the forth time things actually went down hill badly . All the while I should mention I had to quit pumping iron as it just reagravated it .
I am on an anti inflammatory called Naproxen and I'm finally seeing some results , but just the other day I had to lift gel cell batteries out of a power supply at work and it probably set me back another 6 months  
I talked with a fellow weight lifter friend of mine who had no success healing until he quit doing the exercise that caused it. Took him a year and a half to get better . 
The reason is there's very little blood flow to your tendons , so they take FOREVER to heal .
I know a guy who had cortisone shots and they tore a tendon making things worse . I've also heard your body cannot purge cortisone and some people get cataracts from it .
I was talking to a nurse friend and she said to fill up a double sink with hot water on one side and cold on the other . Apparently you hold your arm in the cold water for a few minutes and then the hot water taking turns back and forth . It's supposed to increase circulation getting more blood to the tendon to promote healing but I never bothered .

The bottom line is rest , anti inflammatories , and not doing anything that reagravates it till it's better years later


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

DaninVan said:


> "...but my doc says it can be hard on older and weak kidneys."
> Ptheppp...who needs kidneys!


That is a concern of mine ^^^.

Another issue is ulcers but they can be avoided . I know of two people who were near death from taking ibuprofen and spent four days in the ICU.
I think theres a common sense approach to this . Don't take on an empty stomach and don't lye down for a few hours after taking them . No alchohol either


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## billyjim (Feb 11, 2012)

+1 for cortisone injections into the joint.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

billyjim said:


> +1 for cortisone injections into the joint.


-1 from the Canadian lol


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## Frankj3 (Oct 6, 2014)

My orthopedic is not a fan of injections......nor surgery. His theory is "ONE" injection can be used to "eliminate" a possible cause. If you get an injection and the pain goes away almost immediately then it's most likely NOT a major tear and can be treated with anti-inflammatory medicines and rest.

On the other hand, if there is no immediate relief, then an MRI could be the next thing to try. Again, in his mind, surgery is a LAST RESORT.

My orthopedic says if you see another orthopedic surgeon and he brags about having 4 tennis elbows to do today......run to another doctor immediately! Mine says he averages only 1 a month.

I appreciate all of the feedback from everyone. I'm glad to know I'm not alone (which I really knew!) and that I have tried almost every one of your suggestions......each with varying degrees of success. Meloxicam and rest seem to be helping me. But dang! I miss the smell of saw dust and the vibration of a router in my hands!

While I am sidelined, I guess I could start thinking of a few more projects to make.....

*HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO MY FELLOW AMERICAN WOOD WORKERS!! MAY YOUR TURKEY BE MOIST, YOUR LAUGHTER BE LOUD, AND YOU HOME FILLED WITH LOVE!*


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## luxlarry (Dec 28, 2011)

Frank,
Played tennis for about 40 years, and had some elbow flareups, which responded to strength training using this system: Strengthening Exercises for Tennis Elbow

Good luck.
larry


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

About twenty five years ago it struck me, I couldn't lift a hammer so went straight to my doctor who quickly diagnosed Tennis elbow, he had been into my workshop several times as a customer and knew that I used a screw driver a great deal, some VCR's that I was an agent for required 23 screws to be removed for access to the underneath of the mechanism. He gave me a prescription for Cortisone which I promptly took back to him and he injected it into my elbow. At the same time he told me to install mechanized screw drivers, I had air reticulated around the workshop and supplied all benches with air drivers. I haven't had a problem since.

Edit: It just struck me that it sounded like I used a hammer to repair VCR's! It was a Saturday and I was attempting to do some woodwork in my hobby shed.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Wood Chip said:


> Have you tried Naproxen (Aleve)? I get Tennis elbow from time to time but not very bad. Aleve helps a lot for me.


Ok now I'm concerned . Naproxen is the only thing that has helped and I was told to take up to 2 a day and they are 500 milligram pills . I did some research and it seems as though there's no free ride here as some people have destroyed there kidneys this way .
I only take one a day but now I'm wondering if I should give my body a rest and take them a week off and a week on cycling them to give my kidneys a chance to recover ,although I don't have kidney issues yet that I'm aware of ? 
Why can anything be easy


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## al m (Dec 13, 2012)

And now I,m worried
Been six weeks with a torn mcl and a steady diet of alieve ,4 a day
Not tomorrow!


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

al m said:


> And now I,m worried
> Been six weeks with a torn mcl and a steady diet of alieve ,4 a day
> Not tomorrow!


And I've been fighting this since August 7 2013 
I wasn't always taking an anti inflammatory though , but it's only started improving with the anti inflammatories 

It may be time to buy that wing suit and take that maiden voyage


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## al m (Dec 13, 2012)

Physio twice a week for me,getting there,no pain,no gain they say,I should be gaining quite a lot!


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

al m said:


> Physio twice a week for me,getting there,no pain,no gain they say,I should be gaining quite a lot!


Imo aggravating it isn't gaining , but I'm not a doctor . We do have athletic injury theorists here , maybe it's time I see them . Imo there only going to make it worse as the only thing that is going to help is rest , or going 100 years in the future in a time machine . They've probably have it down pat in another century


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## al m (Dec 13, 2012)

There is a balance Rick and each case is different.i trust my physio guy,seen a couple doctors and my nurse practitioner first,it was my physio guy who first put his finger exactly on the spot,showed me exactly what was wrong and what to do about it


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## Matador58 (Jan 28, 2012)

Hi Frankj3,

I had tennis elbow years ago and my doctor back than told me to use a towel
He told me to get the towel and put it long ways twist it up fairly tight. Place it
around behind putting both ends very hard around to the front until the two ends 
meet and you do this twice a day until it goes away. I did fix mine 16 years ago and I 
haven't had since. I hope it works on you.


Cheers Graham.


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## Frankj3 (Oct 6, 2014)

My orthopedic surgeon has had me on Meloxicam for 3 weeks. It's better but no where near healed. He also has me wearing a brace. I'm not a fan of the typical braces because to wear them tight enough to give me relief they tend to cut off the blood circulation. But this "Band-It" brand that I wear doesn't seem to do this. I can wear it tight or loose.....whatever feels better at the time. I still wake up in the night with my arm locked up and hurting pretty bad until I can move it to another position.

It's hell to be poor.....and it's hell to be old!! LOL

I have started some small wood working projects again....but NO ROUTER work yet.

Thanks for all the feedback!


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## Matador58 (Jan 28, 2012)

Hi Frankj3.

You could try aloe vera juice not the pulp. It take a little bit to
start working body but it is good for a lot of things. If you be leave
in reiki that could work as well. If you don't no what reiki is google
it and can what it can do.

Cheers Graham.


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## luxlarry (Dec 28, 2011)

Frank
I met the MD who developed the Bandit. His MD brother was team physician for the US Davis Cup team and a client of mine--former life-- and he got onto me the grip strengthening for my tennis elbow.
I'll give you some more detail on the process that worked for me. See earlier post. When you have the elbow soreness gone, start to strengthen the muscles and tendon in the elbow by squeezing things, more and more reps. The idea is to increases circulation, healing and strength in your elbow, you can do both hands to give your limppy arm a rest, then go back to it again. Less resistance at the beginning, like a tennis ball, and working up to the spring devices for grip strengthening--you've probably seen them at the sporting goods store. Some offer more resistance than others. Try them out. Slower progress is good. 
Good luck with the elbow. Keep us posted.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Ok as if this couldn't be more of a pita , it will be two years this August since it happened and I had to pull on a piece of cable at work to hook it up to the come along , and low and behold my left arm hurts more than the day it happened .
I guess it's time to see the experts on sports medicine and see if there's ANYTHING that can be done !

I'm just not seeing how exercising something that's perpetually enflamed is going to help any God dam thing ? Time to be put to pasture or find a tall bridge or something  

I think the ONLY answer is to buy black market HGH and fix this god dam frigging thing once and for all.
Too bad you have to rich to afford it


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Alright, Rick...nothing drastic now...

Let's put our woodworkers hats on...take a fresh piece of black walnut from the closest tree to your house...hollow it out so that it fits your arm but leave the bark on...cut it in half and hinge it. Make sure the inside is nice and smooth...wax it. Put some spray lacquer on the bark so it's nice and shiney...let dry...Then put it around your arm and close it. Start a fire in your favorite fireplace and throw the whole thing in...

EDIT...don't forget to remove your suit...


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Ok Nick :lol:


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Hope it gets better...our toys needs us...

Every year for Easter and Christmas I would make a "frittata"...about 40 eggs, couple of pounds of sopressata, couple of pounds of sausage in a 14" cast iron deep skillet. I would tenderly nurture it while it was cooking until that perfect moment and then put a huge turkey platter over it and turn it over to cook the other side. Between carpal tunnel and ulnar nerve pinching it's tough to do anymore. so now I make a whole bunch of small ones...they're still good...

Have a great weekend...rest up...


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I'm very fortunate that the one Cortisone injection all those years ago has resulted in a complete cure, that is I no longer use a screwdriver for hours on end or in fact take other chances. I don't know if the sort of things that can be done to shoulders also apply to elbows, wonderful if they can because since my shoulder surgery in Feb. 2014 my right shoulder is now perfect


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## Goblu (Mar 5, 2012)

I've had tendonitis in my hands (one worse than the other). I was "losing my grip" which means I couldn't do most woodworking tasks. Along with this was "trigger finger" in several fingers. Add to this arthritis in my thumb. Left hand is worse. This was brought on by painting with a roller for hours and days in a row, kind of a blitz to get the job done, my usual style of work. (next time, I spray).

I let it rest as much as possible for a year, it got better, so I could grip, but still had some triggering. If you have a job, you can't take a complete rest. Cortisone worked, but they don't do it repeatedly, so now I baby my hands a lot. I have rigid custom braces from my pt that I wear at night for both the arthritis and the tendonitis. I wear them religiously because if I don't I'm in a lot of pain with the arthritis for about a week. I also have day braces that I use as needed esp when doing a lot of carrying things. 

Here are some things I do, which would help for tendonitis in the elbow, too. Once the pain is gone, you need to think about prevention. My PT told me some of this. 

I NEVER overdo, repetitive motion is the worst. So, I do something for a bit, then do something different. Slows you down, but not as much as no woodworking for a year. 

I get tools that save your hands/wrists, etc. I love the Black and Decker gyro screwdriver and have two of them, no excuse for not always using them. Got mine from Woot for $15 each. Like harry's solution with the screwdriver. I carry even relatively small pieces of plywood with a plywood carrier. I use a small dolly when in the past I would not. I wear gloves with padded joints for most carrying things and sometimes with my 5-inch sander. (never with power tools, though). I recently got the grr-rippers partly for safety but thinking they will save my hands (and elbows). I was able to use the jointer and the planer without having to stop a bunch of times to vary my activity. I'm thinking most of these things would also help with elbow problems. 

Anything I do, I think about the impact on my hands. I'm setting up my work areas to make it easy on my hands. This is also true for other activities like yardwork and cooking. Even reading is a repetitive activity in a way. Of course the computer is a villain in this story, too. 

I'm finishing up a set of cabinets. Lots of little screws in hinges, drawer slides, etc. Man, I love the B&D gyro screwdriver. Amazon.com: Black & Decker BDCS40G 4-Volt MAX Gyro Screwdriver: Home Improvement


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Thanks guys for your input . I'm definately not taking injections but I'll find out what these so called experts in town say . Not expecting anything much 

I got humbled a bit . I was at 7-11 and there was this young man maybe around 12 years old with his hands growing out of his shoulders . So I guess things could always be worse .
I have no idea why things always have to suck , but thats fate I guess


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Maybe different ways to hold pieces and tools might help to allow you to do some of the same things. I tore my bicep tendon completely...big lump where by bicep used to be.

I found that picking up items palm down gives me the strength to do what I used to.

Finding alternative holding techniques and practicing till they become second nature might give you your abilities back...

"if you stand by the river's edge long enough you will see the bodies of your enemies float by" (Sun Tzu, but somewhat paraphrased)...patience, my friend...


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Nickp said:


> Maybe different ways to hold pieces and tools might help to allow you to do some of the same things. I tore my bicep tendon completely...big lump where by bicep used to be.
> 
> I found that picking up items palm down gives me the strength to do what I used to.
> 
> ...


Yes I found when it's extremely enflamed that I must grab underhand as I can't lift a cordless drill otherwise . I'm going to have to get others to do the heavy pulling at work I guess . That's going to go over well lol


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Ok I talked with a massage therapist today and she mentioned that she had heard of tendinitis being treated with ultrasound ? (Which I doubt is going to help ) but I'm ready for just about anything at this point , even a TV evangelist healer . But I think all those healers I see on TV are in the U.S. ?
As always you guys got all the good stuff


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Rick; in any condition involving inflammation, the inflammation is a huge part of the problem (as opposed to what's actually causing it). It's extremely helpful to get ahead of the game by taking anti-inflammatories BEFORE you start any activity that's going to irritate the condition. Personally, I use Ibuprofin, always with a meal; it's hard on your gut.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

DaninVan said:


> Rick; in any condition involving inflammation, the inflammation is a huge part of the problem (as opposed to what's actually causing it). It's extremely helpful to get ahead of the game by taking anti-inflammatories BEFORE you start any activity that's going to irritate the condition. Personally, I use Ibuprofin, always with a meal; it's hard on your gut.


Yes I use naproxen and as you say carefully , make sure you've eaten first and also don't lay down for a while .
I was worried about my kidneys as I have a low EF which adds to kidney failure so in my case it's a double edge sword . 
I use them sparingly , kind of one week on and one off to help the kidneys recooperate . Whether that's neccesary I have no idea .
Still wishing I could get my hands on some HGH or a time machine


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