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When an inflamed or irritated tendon, the condition referred to as tendonitis, fails to heal, the tendon degenerates. This condition is called tendinosis. Tendons are the thick, fibrous cords that attach muscles to bone. They transmit the power generated by a muscle contraction to move a bone. Tendinosis usually affects only one part of the body at a time. Although tendinosis is common in middle or old age as the tendons become more susceptible to injury, younger people who exercise vigorously as well as people who perform repetitive tasks are also susceptible.
How does tendinosis develop?
The most common cause of tendinosis is injury or overuse during work or play, particularly if the individual is poorly conditioned, has bad posture or uses the affected limb in an awkward position. If the injured tendon is not allowed to heal properly, degeneration of the tendon will occur. Occasionally an infection within the tendon sheath may be responsible for the initial inflammation. Tendon sheaths can also be affected by joint diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, scleroderma, Reiter's Syndrome, thyroid diseases and diabetes.
Tendinosis is also closely linked to ligament laxity. When a tendon is injured or degenerated, the ligament no longer has dynamic support of the joint. Likewise, a weakened or lax ligament leads to an unstable joint, which means the tendon has no static support and would be stressed.
What are the symptoms of tendinosis?
Symptoms are very similar to tendonitis. The affected tendons are usually painful when moved or touched. Even a small movement of the joint near the tendon may cause severe pain. Stiffness and restricted movement in the affected area may also occur. The skin over the tendon may be warm and red, and sometimes a tender lump may appear. The tendon sheaths may be visibly swollen from the accumulation of fluid and inflammation, or they may remain dry and rub against the tendons, causing a grating sensation or a sound that can be heard with a stethoscope when the joint is moved.
Conventional medical treatments may help relieve the symptoms of tendinosis, but they do not address the root of the problem. By strengthening structural weaknesses in the body, as natural medicine treatments like Prolotherapy do, pain associated with tendinosis may be alleviated permanently.
Discover why we believe that natural medicine treatments are the best way to treat tendinosis.
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