Diagnosis of tendonitis is usually straightforward. A doctor is likely to examine the affected area and ask about how you injured the tendon. Imaging tests such as MRI and ultrasounds may also be necessary.
Doctors at NYU Langone Orthopedic Center can diagnose bursitis and tendinitis during a physical examination, even soon after an injury. If more detail is needed to confirm a diagnosis, doctors may recommend imaging tests, such as MRI scans and X-rays.
Most tendinitis can be treated with rest, physical therapy and medicine to reduce pain. Long-lasting tendon inflammation can cause a tendon to tear. A torn tendon might need surgery.
Tendinitis, also called overuse tendinopathy, typically is diagnosed by a physical exam alone. If you have the symptoms of overuse tendinopathy, your doctor may order an ultrasound or MRI scans to help determine tendon thickening, dislocations and tears, but these are usually unnecessary for newly diagnosed cases.
If the condition does not improve in about three weeks, see your doctor. You may need more advanced treatments, including: Corticosteroid injections: Corticosteroids (often called “steroids”) are often used because they work quickly to decrease the inflammation and pain.
Dull ache or pain near or at a joint
For the most part, if you have tendonitis, it's the result of repetitive use and not an acute or sudden injury. One of your first warning signs is a dull ache right around the joint and especially during movement.
The pain is mild at first and then gradually worsens as the inflammation continues. In most cases, the pain occurs when you're active and feels better when you rest. But as tendonitis goes untreated and worsens, you may also experience pain when resting.
Tendonitis is usually caused by sudden, sharp movements or repetitive exercise, such as running, jumping or throwing. It can also be caused by repetitive movements, or having poor posture or technique while at work or when playing a sport. This is known as repetitive strain injury (RSI).
When you leave your tendonitis untreated, the affected tendon can weaken and become more prone to tears and possible rupture. A ruptured tendon requires surgical repair and can cause permanent disability in severe cases. Repeated bouts of tendonitis can result in a buildup of scar tissue in the affected area.
Massage therapy not only eases the physical discomfort associated with tendonitis but also helps reduce emotional pain, helping to relax and calm the nervous system. This then stimulates the release of the so-called feel-good hormone.
Chronic tendonitis is a dull but constant soreness that feels worse when you first start to move. It then eases up as muscles get warmer. Acute tendonitis is a sharper pain that may keep you from moving the joint. The pain may eventually go away.
A mild case of tendonitis takes about 2-3 weeks to heal on average while chronic tendonitis takes about 6 weeks to heal completely.
Will Tendonitis Heal on Its Own? People suffering from tendonitis must realize that this condition will not heal on its own. Treatment requires intentional rest and non-use of the tendon. The good news is that the tendon will heal naturally, meaning invasive procedures are unnecessary.
Diagnosis. To diagnose tendinitis, a doctor will perform a physical examination and discuss the symptoms since tendons are soft tissues X-rays aren't usually helpful. A doctor may order an X-ray, however, if there might be a chance that another condition is causing the symptoms.
Tendonitis is most commonly caused by overuse (repetitive stress), but less often, it can also occur in areas where calcium deposits have developed.
The more severe the tendinopathy, the less likely stretching would help. In fact, stretching results in further compression of the tendon at the irritation point, which actually worsens the pain. For more information on exercises that help improve an insertional tendinopathy see our blog on Achilles Tendinopathy.
Stage I of Tendinitis
There is pain only after participating in an activity. An example of this would be lateral elbow pain (tennis elbow) after a tennis match. At this stage there are no limitations in activities, but the person should make sure that they are stretching and icing the area after activity.
Early exercise for an individual with tendonitis can make the condition worse.
Arthritis is inflammation in the joint itself, whereas bursitis, tendinitis and other soft tissue rheumatic syndromes involve inflammation in the tissues and structures around a joint.
Understanding Bursitis
While tendonitis causes pain during movement, bursitis can be painful even during rest. Bursitis is typically caused by repetitive joint movement. It may also be caused by an infection, sudden injury or inflammatory medical condition like rheumatoid arthritis or gout.
Ice the area for 15 to 20 minutes every 4 to 6 hours — and put a towel or cloth between the ice pack and your skin. Heat may be more helpful for chronic tendon pain, often called tendinopathy or tendinosis. Heat can increase blood flow, which may help promote healing of the tendon.