Natural Treatments for Tendonitis: Symptoms, Causes and Diet Tips

What Is Tendonitis?

Tendonitis is a condition of inflammation of a tendon, (a thick cord of collagen tissue that attaches your bone to your muscle.) This is also known as tendinitis. It occurs as a result of a repetitive movement with a minor impact, which can lead to serious injury. Different types of the body can be affected by tendonitis.

Common Areas Affected by Tendonitis

It is more likely to occur in the: Base of your thumb, Elbow, Knee, Hip, Shoulder, Achilles tendon. It can also be classified into different types: Achilles Tendinitis, Supraspinatus Tendonitis, Peroneal Tendonitis, Extensor Tendonitis, Patellar Tendonitis, Tennis/Golfer’s Elbow, De Quervain’s Stenosing Tenosynovitis, Trigger Finger/Thumb, Tendonitis Of The Wrist.

Signs And Symptoms

The symptoms associated with tendinitis are: Pain in the affected and surrounding area: The pain can be gradual or sudden and severe in the presence of calcium deposits, Frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis: Loss of shoulder motion, pain that worsens upon movement, Crackling or grating of tendons as they move, Swelling, Redness, Development of a lump along the tendon.

These symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks or even months.

Various activities can trigger or even worsen existing cases of tendonitis. They include the following.

You can get tendonitis if you are into Carpentry, Raking, Gardening, Painting, Shoveling, Skiing, Scrubbing, Tennis, Golf. Other factors are: Sitting or sleeping in an incorrect posture, Not warming up before sports, Medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or psoriatic arthritis, Overuse of the affected tendon, Infections from a cat or dog bite.

Make sure you have it checked by a physician first and foremost. Once you have been diagnosed, you can start to look for ways to alleviate the pain of your condition. Having the correct treatment will help fight tendonitis faster and prevent the symptoms from worsening.

Before looking at the therapeutic options though you can take a look at these natural treatments:

Natural Treatments For Tendonitis

1. Epsom Salt. It is also known as magnesium sulfate, which helps reduce inflammation and swelling of the tendons. What you need to do is fill your bathtub with water and 1 cup of Epsom salt. Allow to dissolve and soak affected area or better yet soak in Epsom salt bath for 15-20 minutes.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar. The anti-inflammatory effects of vinegar are due to the acetic acid present in the vinegar. What you need to do is mix half a cup of raw apple cider vinegar with half a cup of warm water. Soak a clean washcloth on the mixture and place on the affected area for about 20-30 minutes. You can also intake a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water daily.

3. Ice Packs. This is the most common go-to relief for inflammation. Place an ice pack on the affected area no more than 10 minutes. You can do it as much as 3 times a day.

4. Bone Broth. This soup contains glucosamine and chondroitin that help speed up tendon’s healing. You can take this once a day.

5. Cayenne Pepper. It contains capsaicin, a compound exhibit analgesic that relieves pain and alleviates inflammation in the joints. The perfect concoction is a tablespoon of powdered cayenne pepper and 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil. Combine the 2 ingredients and massage the mixture in the affected area. Leave for 30 minutes before rinsing it off. Apply up to 3 times a day.

6. Vitamin C. As a supplement, vitamin c helps speed up the healing process of inflamed tendons. You can take 500mg of vitamin c daily and even consume foods which are rich in vitamin c like spinach, kale and other citrus fruits.

7. Ginger. This root crop possesses potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties because of gingerol. This helps in managing pain, inflammation, and other symptoms of tendonitis. You can drink it as a tea. Soak 1 or 2 slices of ginger in a hot cup of water. Allow to steep for 7 minutes and drink. It is recommended that you do this twice daily. You can also do this with turmeric.

Other Treatment Methods

Your physician will definitely suggest that you get enough rest and even give you anti-inflammatory drugs to help ease the pain. Some would also go for corticosteroid injections and physical therapy. Whatever the case, if your conditions persist, you have to consult your doctors immediately.

You also can use cotton compression garments like knee sleeves, elbow sleeves, or compression socks on the affected area so that it can help alleviate the pain caused by the tendonitis. Compression garments are best worn not just for added support but also pain relief and comfort. Compression on the affected area helps with the blood circulation and support mobility of joint movement.

You can try SocksLane compression garments for this. Check out our product page.