redbird: closeup of me drinking tea, in a friend's kitchen (Default)
Redbird ([personal profile] redbird) wrote2020-02-14 05:55 pm

tennis elbow

I went to the doctor this morning ([personal profile] adrian_turtle having kindly made the appointment when I was obviously procrastinating), described the ways my left wrist hurt, and she did a little bit of "does this hurt?" and diagnosed tennis elbow, which is a kind of tendonitis.

The doctor had me buy a strap to wear just below the elbow, along with advice on painkillers and icing: Keep taking naproxen twice a day for at least a week, plus tylenol if it still hurts (being cautious about how much, of course), and ice the wrist and/or elbow once or twice a day each. It may take a while to heal even with this, so call back in a couple of weeks--or sooner if it gets worse.

Also consider: a new wrist rest for in front of the computer; a wrist brace to hold it in a neutral position; an NSAID gel instead of the pills. The gel requires a prescription, so the doctor called it in to the pharmacy in case I need it, and they have of course already filled it, and will probably text nagging me until I actually pick it up, or tell them I'm never going to.

And continue trying to rest that hand and arm, which means less typing, including here, and thus less duolingo.

I had tennis elbow once before, many years ago. I don't remember what they did for it, except the part about propping the affected hand up when I sleep, which I am still doing. I know I didn't have this sort of arm strap, and I have a general feeling that I wasn't happy with the specialist my GP sent me to, but that might be about the diagnostic procedure.

ETA: I just reread the blog comments that gave me the idea of the NSAID gel, and left a thank-you, though that's a four-day-old thread and I don't know if the person will see it.
athenais: (Default)

[personal profile] athenais 2020-02-15 02:17 am (UTC)(link)
Sorry you are having wrist trouble! Hope everything helps.
kareina: (Default)

[personal profile] kareina 2020-02-15 08:54 am (UTC)(link)
The only time I had tennis elbow I didn't see a doctor, so no meds, but I did go to the physical therapist, who gave me exercises to strengthen the support muscles so that it would heal and be less likely to happen again. Hope yours gets better soon, and then stays that way!
otter: (Default)

[personal profile] otter 2020-02-15 07:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Physical therapy has helped me several times. Of course, you have to follow the recommendations at home every day, but they know the things to do to help heal.
minnehaha: (Default)

[personal profile] minnehaha 2020-02-16 04:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Again with the ice....

K.