The Source Of Your Chronic Pain

Lateral epicondylitis, also known more commonly as tennis elbow, can be a difficult condition if you don't know how to treat it. Your healthcare provider may explain to you that this condition is a result of inflammation of the tendon that is attached to the

outside of the elbow. This tendon is referred to as the extensor carpi radialis brevis.

Knowing what is wrong with your elbow is definitely half of the battle. The next half is finding a solution that fits your lifestyle. Some doctors may recommend surgery while others may prescribe ice, anti-inflammatory medication, and physical therapy exercise routines. As your condition becomes chronic, it can feel like it's more difficult to treat as the solutions that the doctor has given you just don't work anymore or didn't even work in the first place.

It's not uncommon for elbow tendonitis to be diagnosed by a medical professional when the problem ends up being in the ligaments of the elbow. Many cases can simply start as weakening and fraying of the elbow ligaments. These ligaments are what hold the bones in place. If they become loose, they can allow the elbow to have too much instability.

Therefore, if the problem starts as one with the ligaments, it can end up causing a strain on the tendon. This is why a doctor may diagnose elbow tendonitis when, in reality, the problem is with both the tendons and the ligaments. For this reason, it's important that you discuss the possibility of a ligament issue with your chiropractor near LAX.

Getting Prolotherapy
Prolotherapy is an injection that is done at your local doctor's office. This reliable medical treatment offers a viable alternative to traditional surgery and other non-effective types of short-term treatment, such as braces. Prolotherapy stands for proliferative therapy and is a non-surgical ligament and tendon regeneration and reconstructive joint injection.

The whole concept behind prolotherapy is that the injection works to stimulate the body's natural healing process. This works to strengthen and repair the damaged tendons and ligaments in the elbow alongside the other connective tissue. It's important to note that prolotherapy and PRP injections for injuries are two different types of treatments that your chiropractor near LAX may perform.

The main difference between these two treatments is what is injected into the body. With prolotherapy, sugar water or dextrose is injected into the tendon and ligament. This creates an inflammatory reaction from the body. This sparks the body's natural repair process to have the torn ligaments and tendons healed properly.

PRP Injections
You can use PRP injections for injuries that aren't responding to other forms of passive treatment. These injections are fairly similar to prolotherapy except for what is injected into the tendon. With PRP injections near LAX, you'll get injected with your own body's plasma. You'll basically be utilizing your body's own healing power to more specifically target the ligaments and tendons that get repaired in your elbow.

PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. The plasma from your body is basically a liquid that is composed of protein and water. It creates the perfect medium for the red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells in your body to circulate around. Platelets, also referred to medically as thrombocytes, are simply blood cells that contain the ability to create blood clots for the healing process of the body.

What Happens When You Get A PRP Injection
If you decide that you want to get PRP injections for joint pain, all doctors will follow a fairly similar process for giving you them. They will start by removing a few tubes of blood from your body. This blood will then be put into a centrifuge. This machine separates all the components of the plasma so that the platelets can be easily removed.

Once the platelets are removed from the centrifuge, they are injected directly into the elbow tendons and ligaments. This assists in stimulating the repair process of the body and helps to release necessary growth factors to speed up the healing process. Most doctors will use ultrasound imaging when doing PRP injections for joint pain so they are able to ensure they're injecting into the right place of the body.

The Benefits Of PRP Injections
When you get PRP injections near LAX, you'll receive a ton of key benefits. First, this will greatly reduce your need for taking over the counter anti-inflammatories or even prescription medication. Second, your body will respond well to the treatment. Since the doctor will be injecting your own bodily components back into your injury site, you'll never have to worry about your body rejecting the treatment. These are just two of the many benefits that you can enjoy from having PRP injections for your tennis elbow.