Opioid Free Alternatives to Tennis Elbow

Lateral epicondylitis, commonly known as tennis elbow, is a painful condition characterized by inflammation and torn tendons in the elbow. Many people think that sportsmen and athletes develop tennis blow, but this is a common misconception. Anyone can develop this painful condition.

Discomfort and pain occur when your forearm’s tendons attach to your elbow’s exterior bony bump. As a result, it causes inflammation, discomfort, and pain. The painful sensations can also radiate to the forearm and wrist. Health professionals often recommend rest, over-the-counter (OCT) drugs, and opioid medications to relieve tennis elbow.

Laser Therapy for Tennis Elbow

There is strong evidence that opioids, such as pentazocine, tilidine, tramadol, and codeine, provide short-term relief of tennis elbow pain. However, opioids produce a wide range of adverse effects, such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, indigestion, dizziness, and sleep problems, which may outweigh opioids benefits.

Studies show that opioids can lower heart rate, reduce blood pressure, and slow your breathing. Therefore, it is important to consult with your health provider to ensure these drugs are safe for tennis elbow.

Although the side effects can be reduced by adjusting the dose, it won’t relieve pain and discomfort due to the low dosage. Besides, higher dosages will lead to adverse effects. On the other hand, laser therapy has no side effects and is 100% effective and safe treatment.

Laser therapy is a painless, non-invasive, and safe technique used to treat a wide range of inflammatory conditions, including tennis elbow. It is a powerful new method to reduce inflammation in the elbow.

It has two-fold effects on the body. The laser improves blood flow to the elbow to reduce pain. It likewise suppresses the nerve cell’s pain transmission signal capabilities to promote faster repair and healing.

Laser therapy speeds up the process of healing through photobiomodulation, which involves photos to energize cells. Photobiomodulation also triggers several intra-cellular mechanisms to boost ATP production, reduce pain signal transmission, and suppress inflammation.

Pain Relief

Laser therapy decreases a pain eliciting chemical called bradykinin to reduce nerve sensitivity in the elbow. It also normalizes ion channels and elevates the production of endorphins, the body’s natural pain suppressor. Laser therapy also releases enkephalins that produce powerful analgesic effects and reduce the intensity of tennis elbow.

Tissue Repair

Laser light photons penetrated deeply into cells to promote reproduction and growth. The cells of tendons and nerves in the elbow begin to repair themselves effectively and quickly. It also enhances blood cell activity to speed up the repair process.

The Procedure for Tennis Elbow

During the procedure, a health professional will apply different wavelengths of low-level light to the elbow. Muscles, tissues, or cells in the elbow area will absorb the low-level photons. The damaged cells respond quickly to the photons and promote regeneration.

Depending on the intensity of your tennis elbow, the doctor or therapist may apply wavelengths between 600nm and 700nm or between 780nm and 950nm. Although the patient feels the device touching his elbow, the procedure is non-invasive, painless, and safe. You won’t feel any heat, vibration, or sound, and each treatment usually takes a few minutes.

Final Words

Tennis elbow usually begins as an ache on the elbow. However, it can get worse over time, and the person starts experiencing burning pain. The discomfort and pain also radiate from the elbow to the wrist and forearm. Unlike opioids, which can cause a wide range of side effects in your body, laser therapy is a safe, effective, and reliable technique to relieve pain.