After seventy-two hours, use a moist heating pad to promote healing. For relief of minor to moderate pain, take acetominophen as directed on label, or, for the relief of pain and inflammation, ibuprofen if tolerated. X Rays will be taken to rule out other possible causes of pain, such as a fracture or loose body in the joint. In addition, the doctor should investigate the possibility of other conditions, including rheumatic arthritis, a trapped radial or ulnar nerve, or referred pain from a pinched nerve in the neck. Surgery is rarely required for tennis elbow.
Initial treatment consists of frequent icing, and use of anti-inflammatories.
If the condition has been allowed to deteriorate before medical attention is sought, the doctor may give the patient a steroid injection. Steroid injections have proven to be a quick, highly effective means of clearing up the pain from tennis elbow. The injection is made near the point where the muscle tendon inserts into the bony knob on the outside of the elbow, not directly into the tendon. It is not advisable to give more than two to three steroid injections for tennis elbow, as this can weaken the tendon. If the condition hasn't cleared up after conservative treatment and steroid injections, surgery may be necessary.