What Tendovaginitis?

an acute or chronic inflammation of the tendon sheath, occurring in the region of the hand, the wrist joint, the forearm (radial and ulnar tenobursitis), the foot, the ankle joint, and the Achilles tendon (achillobursitis).
Tendovaginitis may be infectious or crepitant. Infectious tendovaginitis results when pyogenic microorganisms enter the tendon sheath through a crack, wound, or abrasion of the skin, or as a complication of panaritium. Infectious tendovaginitis proceeds through the stages of serous, serofibrinous, and purulent inflammation. It is accompanied by pains along the tendon that intensify when the fingers or hand are moved, by reddening and edema of the skin, by local elevation of temperature, and, when purulent tendovaginitis occurs, by fever and other symptoms of intoxication.
In its early stages, infectious tendovaginitis is treated by physiotherapy, immobilization, and antibacterial therapy. Purulent tendovaginitis is treated surgically since the pus may erupt and cause fistulas; purulent affection of adjacent joints and bones may also occur. Infectious tendovaginitis is prevented by early treatment of minor injuries of the hand and foot and by early and radical treatment of panaritium.
Crepitant tendovaginitis is an aseptic inflammation of the tendon sheath that develops on the back of the hand or forearm, mainly as an occupational disease of pianists, dairymaids, typists, and other persons whose work requires continuous use of the fingers. The principal symptoms are soreness in the region of the tendon, and crepitation, or crackling, in the back of the hand or forearm when the fingers are moved. Crepitant tendovaginitis is treated by physiotherapy and by immobilization of the wrist or fingers. If treatment is begun late or is insufficient, relapses may occur. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Tendonitis Treatment Ways

Treatment of tendon injuries is largely conservative. Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs combined with Physical Therapy, rest, orthotics or braces, and gradual return to exercise is a common therapy. An acronym used to list the corrective procedures in fixing tendinitis is "RICE": Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate. Resting assists in the prevention of further damage to the tendon. Ice is effective at alleviating pain, limiting excessive swelling, and stimulating blood flow after the fact. Compression and elevation both function similarly to ice in their ability to limit excessive, unncessary inflammation.[2] Initial recovery is typically within 2 to 3 days and full recovery is within 4 to 6 weeks.[3] As tendinosis is more common than tendinitis, and has similar symptoms, tendinitis is often initially treated the same as tendinosis. This helps reduce some of the chronic long-term risks of tendinosis, which takes longer to heal.

Steroid injects have not been shown to have long term benefits and are equivalent to NSAIDs in the short term. In chronic tendinitis laser therapy has been found to be better than conservative treatment at reducing pain, however no other outcomes were accessed.

Tendonitis Treatment

Tendonitis treatment involves a lot of rest and patients who are recovering from it must avoid putting stress and pressure on the affected joint. Slow and gentle movements could be done after some time to avoid stiffness. In order for the joint to attain an uninterrupted healing process, using a splint, sling, crutch or cane may be recommended.
Ice application as a form of tendonitis treatment helps reduce swelling and pain. Ice cubes can be applied for three to five minutes in order to control the inflammation.
Compressing the affected joint protects it from further wear and tear since it holds it still in one place. As such, this will help keep the swelling down. Elastic bandages could be used for this type of tendonitis treatment. Elevation of the affected area above heart level also helps decrease swelling.
Medications to ease the pain come in the form of nonsteroidal inflammatory drugs that should not be used for more than seven to ten days without physician recommendation and prescription. Cortisone injections are done sometimes to reduce swelling and pain but too much of this weakens and can rapture the tendon. Physical therapy is recommended to strengthen the tendons and surrounding muscles, which is very effective in preventing more injury.

Tendovaginitis

The common signs of tendovaginitis are pain, swelling and tenderness on the affected joint. In most cases, movement of the inflamed joint must be reduced immediately to allow healing to take place. At times, the pain lasts for a couple of days and goes away without any need for medical treatment and medication. But in other instances, the pain and swelling continues for months especially if the injury is left untreated.

Tendovaginitis is the inflammation of the tendon and its surrounding sheath, also known as the synovium. Some tendons are covered by the sheath but there are others which are not. The synovium produces a small quantity of oily fluid that is released in between the tendon and its overlying sheath. This oily fluid helps the tendon to move smoothly and freely as it pulls on the attached bone.

Every tendon on the human body could suffer from tendovaginitis but there are some areas which are more susceptible to this kind of injury. Examples are the hands and wrist since they are often the ones used for doing activities and other motions that are repetitious.

While there is no actual evidence of anything that could prevent the occurrence of tendovaginitis, it is recommended by medical practitioners that repetitive motion be reduced and avoided as much as possible. There are also some exercises that help strengthen the muscles that surround the injured tendon. Consult a physical therapist to find out the best possible exercise that could be used.