What cream to use for tennis elbow: Win the Battle Against Elbow

Last Updated on October 24, 2023 by Robert A. Foreman

Tennis elbow is a frightening name for tennis players. Players have to deal with severe inflammation on the lateral surface of their elbow because of tennis elbow. Furthermore, it takes a long time to recover. Once a player is infected with this pain, it requires at least six months to recover. As a result, many players ask, “What cream to use for tennis elbow?”

One can use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAID-based creams for tennis elbow. These creams will assist players in reducing inflammation and discomfort in the forearms while inducing no side effects like nausea or diarrhea.

Read the entire article to learn more about tennis elbow creams. This article will teach readers about tennis elbow, its causes, and symptoms, some effective tennis elbow creams, and answers to frequently asked questions. So, let’s start.

What is a Tennis Elbow?

Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is a situation that causes extreme pain on the outer side of the elbow. During tennis matches, players constantly move their forearm muscles. This excessive use or repetitive forearm movement eventually results in elbow pain. It is more common in people between the ages of 30 and 50.

As aforementioned, Tennis elbow necessitates a lengthy recovery period. The typical duration ranges from 6 months to 2 years. Fortunately, 90% of patients recover within a year.

Symptoms of Tennis elbow

One of the basic characteristics of Tennis elbow is intense pain on the forearm and outside of the elbow. Some people may experience pain in the backside of their hands as well.   Due to the constant pain, the hands become stiff when spanning the arm. The sufferer will feel more pain in the following circumstances:

• Extending or flexing your arm
• joint pain
• Attempting to hold something such as a pen, glass, etc.
• Trying to perform an action that requires the forearm to turn. For example, rotating a doorknob or opening a bottle.

Who are at risk of Tennis Elbow?

Tennis elbow is more common among tennis players, but they are not the only ones who suffer from it. Tennis elbow affects nearly 1-3% of US citizens each year. Tennis elbow can also affect people of other professions that require repetitive forearm movements. Some examples of such occupations are as follows:

• Golf players
• Musicians
• Carpenters
• Butchers
• Cooks
• Plumbers
• Painters
• Office workers who use a mouse constantly

What is the best pain relief cream for tennis elbow?

Pain relief creams come in several categories, and the choice of cream varies from person to person. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the various types of pain relief creams with their side effects. So, people can choose the best option for themselves.

Pain relief cream for tennis elbow is available in three types. Let’s look at the benefits and drawbacks of each kind of cream:

Herbal Cream:

These creams are free of drugs and made entirely of natural herbs. Therefore, some know these as Non-Medicated creams. If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of prescriptions, go for it. Herbal creams will not cure the inflammation from the bottom of your skin but don’t underestimate these creams for being natural. People had long relied on these types of creams when no big pharmaceutical industry existed. They are still famous for their short-term natural inflammatory healing capacity.

Use a Herbal Cream, such as Pentrex and Biofreeze, regularly for 4 to 5 days. Typically, three times per day would be sufficient to provide temporary relief from the symptoms. One of the best aspects of herbal creams is that they do not cause any severe side effects. The only possible side effect is a rash.

Over-the-Counter (OTC) Creams:

OTC Creams incorporate effective healing ingredients such as menthol, methyl salicylate, camphor, and lidocaine. Such components are common in analgesic medications (painkillers). These ingredients reduce inflammation by inhibiting pain receptors and penetrating the skin.

However, the disadvantages of these creams are their potential side effects. Since these creams include drugs, they can trigger severe reactions if used for an extended period.

Topical anti-inflammatory creams:

Topical anti-inflammatory creams include steroid creams and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory creams. While the first is ineffective for tennis elbow, the second is more commonly used.

Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Medications (NSAIDs)

Creams containing NSAIDs are highly effective in reducing muscle inflammation and pain. Furthermore, the cream form removes the chance of severe side effects caused by the digestion of NSAIDs tablets/ pills.

Is it better to keep your arm straight or bent with a tennis elbow?

It is generally better to keep the arm straight when dealing with tennis elbow. This is because keeping the arm bent can put additional strain on the tendons in the elbow, which can cause further inflammation and pain.

Resting the elbow and avoiding activities that strain the elbow can help alleviate symptoms and allow the injury to heal. In some cases, physical therapy may be recommended to help strengthen the muscles and tendons in the elbow and prevent further injury.

 Frequently asked questions 

What’s the best home remedy for tennis elbow?

Maintenance of some home remedies along with medications can yield positive results in reducing tennis elbow symptoms. The following are some of the most effective home remedies:

1. Rest: Stay away from activities that require a lot of elbow movement.
2. Ice: Applying ice to the affected area for a few minutes will significantly relieve pain.
3. Technique: Develop appropriate methods for activities to minimize repeated wrist movements.

Final verdict:

While people use different types of creams to treat tennis elbow, using the wrong cream can have more negative consequences. Therefore, it is vital to know the cream before purchasing.

In this article, I discussed various types of tennis elbow creams and their side effects. I hope the readers will find the information helpful.