Combination treatment could be effective treatment for tendonitis

People with tendonitis will know how painful the condition is and will know how difficult it can be to treat especially when the usual treatments don't work.

For inflammation of a tendon an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen is often recommended.  A specialist or physiotherapist might also suggest that you use ice or heat to try to east the inflammation and swelling.

There are some other options which can be used such as a tenotomy - a technique which involves using needle sticks to break down scar tissue and promote the healing of the tendon. Another option is the use of platelet rich plasma (PRP) which using the healing power of the patients own platelet cells.

Study author Jay Smith. M.D. said:

"These disorders can be hard to treat, and patients tend to receive one therapy or the other, depending on what a doctor happens to offer. Our study was the first clinical study to investigate the combination of both treatments in injured tendons."

Research which was carried out by the Mayo Center and published in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation shows that a combination of both of these methods could be an effective way of treating patients with long-term tendon problems.

During the study, 34 patients with tendonitis or soft tissue damage underwent a two-stage treatment. During the first stage, ultrasound technology was used to guide a needle to the damaged area and the tendon was repeatedly poked with a needle so that bleeding would be induced. Patients were then treated with concentrated platelets, which were given by injection.

Commenting on the study Dr.Smith said:

"The needle breaks up non-healing, degenerative tissue and induces bleeding, hopefully converting a chronic, degenerative injury into an acute injury that has healing potential.”

The study found that maximum benefits were gained in the four months following the procedure. More than 70% of patients reported that they had improved use of their tendons and 76% noticed a reduction in pain. Ultrasound techniques were used to monitor the health of the tendons and it was noted that there were signs of the tendons healing.

Dr. Smith said:

“Larger studies are still necessary to determine whether the combination is particularly helpful for certain injuries or types of tendons, but this investigation showed these therapies together are safe and effective for some people who have an ongoing tendinopathy."

*Previously published on jfnews.co.uk