Should i get elbow surgery

You may relieve pain and stiffness without surgery. You avoid the risks of surgery. Rest and rehabilitation may not relieve your pain. You may have to limit your activities because of elbow pain. To keep pain from coming back after rest and rehabilitation, you'll need to avoid the activity that caused tennis elbow or change the way you do it.

Personal stories about tennis elbow treatment decisions These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. What matters most to you? Reasons to have surgery to treat tennis elbow Reasons to try other treatment. I haven't yet tried resting the tendon. My tendon pain gets in the way of daily activities. I can do daily activities without too much pain.

I've tried corticosteroid shots, and they haven't helped. I haven't yet tried corticosteroid shots. I don't want to have surgery for any reason. My other important reasons: My other important reasons:.

Where are you leaning now? Having surgery Trying other treatment. What else do you need to make your decision? Check the facts. Yes Sorry, that's not right. Surgery often isn't needed. With tendon rest, rehabilitation, and sometimes corticosteroid shots, most people with tennis elbow heal within a year. No You are right. I'm not sure It might help to go back and read "What is usually involved? Surgery may not cure tennis elbow.

No You're right. I'm not sure It may help to go back and read "What are the risks and side effects? Decide what's next. Yes No. I'm ready to take action. I want to discuss the options with others. I want to learn more about my options. Your Summary.

Your decision Next steps. Your knowledge of the facts Key concepts that you understood. Key concepts that may need review. Getting ready to act Patient choices. What matters to you. Print Summary. Credits and References Credits. Buchbinder R, et al. Surgery for lateral elbow pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 3. Get the facts Compare your options What matters most to you?

Get the Facts Your options Have surgery to treat tennis elbow. Compare your options Have surgery to treat tennis elbow Try tendon rest and rehabilitation What is usually involved? You may stay overnight in the hospital, depending on the type of surgery you have. You rest your tendon for weeks or months and avoid activities that cause pain. Check the facts 1.

Is surgery the only way to treat tennis elbow? Yes No I'm not sure. You are right. This may involve changing the grip size of your racket or the weights that you use. You may need to change your practice schedule or duration. Taking medicines, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen. Doing exercises to relieve pain as recommended by the doctor or physical therapist.

Making workplace changes to improve your sitting position and how you use equipment at work. Wearing elbow splints or braces to rest your muscles and tendons. Getting shots of steroid medicine, such as cortisone. This is done by your doctor. Risks of anesthesia and surgery in general are: Reactions to medicines or breathing problems Bleeding , blood clots , or infection Risks of tennis elbow surgery are: Loss of strength in your forearm Decreased range of motion in your elbow Need for long-term physical therapy Injury to nerves or blood vessels Scar that is sore when you touch it Need for more surgery.

Before the Procedure. You should: Tell the surgeon about all the medicines you take, including those bought without a prescription. This includes herbs, supplements, and vitamins. Follow instructions about temporarily stopping blood thinners.

These include aspirin, ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin , and naproxen Naprosyn, Aleve. If you are taking warfarin Coumadin , dabigatran Pradaxa , apixaban Eliquis , rivaroxaban Xarelto , or clopidogrel Plavix , talk with your surgeon before stopping or changing how you take these drugs. Ask your doctor which medicines you should still take on the day of your surgery. Stop smoking, if you smoke. Smoking can slow healing.

Ask your health care provider for help. Tell your surgeon if you have a cold, flu, fever, or other sickness before your surgery. Follow instructions about not eating or drinking anything before surgery. Arrive at the surgery center when your surgeon or nurse told you to. Be sure to arrive on time. After the Procedure. With sustained rehabilitation efforts, most people are able to return to normal activities by week Even so, you may need to wait for another four to 10 weeks before you can return to sports or lift heavy objects safely.

The majority of people who undergo a lateral epicondylitis release will never need surgery for tennis elbow again. However, if pain persists after the completion of rehabilitation, you may need to work with your healthcare provider to investigate other possible causes of your elbow pain. It is not uncommon, for example, for tennis elbow to occur in people with an underlying rotator cuff injury.

At other times, tennis elbow can co-occur with golfer's elbow medial epicondylitis , requiring an entirely different approach to treatment. A lateral epicondylitis release can be an effective surgery for people with tennis elbow but one that should not be approached as a "quick fix. Even if six to 12 months of conservative therapies have not provided you relief, ask yourself if you've truly done everything you can—short of surgery—to improve your condition.

By looking at your condition honestly, you can make an informed choice as to whether tennis elbow surgery is the right treatment option for you. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Tennis elbow lateral epicondylitis. In: OrthoInfo. Updated Open, arthroscopic, and percutaneous surgical treatment of lateral epicondylitis: A systematic review.

Hand N Y. Lateral epicondylitis of the elbow. Pomerantz ML. Complications of lateral epicondylar release. Orthop Clin North Am. Chronic lateral epicondylitis: challenges and solutions. Open Access J Sports Med. Buchanan BK, Varacello M. In: StatPearls. Updated March 15, The three-portal technique in arthroscopic lateral epicondylitis release. Orthop Rev Pavia. Surgical treatment of tennis elbow; minimal incision technique. Arch Bone Jt Surg. Efficacy of physical therapy for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis: a meta-analysis.

BMC Musculoskelet Disord. Risk factors in lateral epicondylitis tennis elbow : a case-control study. J Hand Surg Eur Vol. Arthroscopic treatment of concomitant medial and lateral epicondylitis. Tech Shoulder Elbow Surg.

Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents.

What It Is. How to Prepare. What to Expect. An Overview of Arthroscopic Elbow Surgery. Risks of Surgery Everyone Should Know. How to Find the Best Orthopedic Surgeon. How to Prepare for Surgery the Right Way.

Side Effects and Risks of General Anesthesia. Possible Causes of Elbow Pain. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns?