Cortisone in the elbow?...!..!?

So like I've posted before, I've got some sweet tendonitis in my elbow.

The arm shaking thing that caughtinside posted is remarkable. It took me from being unable to use my arm to being mostly better in a few days. That and a little stretching.

The last 10 or 20 percent is what I'm lacking now. The day after day ache that won't get better. Not quite enough to stop me from climbing but not quite enough for me to just enjoy my arms.

The ortho looked at it and told me I could get a shot in there if I wanted. He said it'd clear up but might come back. Basically the plan was to let it go and see how it felt, that was like 6 weeks ago and it hasn't changed.

So, having no shots in the elbow before and having the worst tendonitis I've ever had (the 20% remaining is worse than other bouts at 100%) would you get the shot?

Special note to the naturapaths. Shut up.

I had a cortisone shot in my elbow a couple of years ago because the pain was preventing me from working, let alone climbing. The pain was relieved very quickly, but that brings the danger of easily re-injuring it. I have had more minor bouts of tendonitis since then, but never as bad as to require a shot again.
My advice is that if you get the shot, make sure to still take it easy on the elbow for a while, and keep up whatever stretching and rehab exercises you are doing now even after the pain is gone.

A shot helped me, after various PT was not helping. My doc's view, which I share after researching: one is fine, a second would be given with some reservations. A third would be not given till at least 12 months.

I wouldn't, but I'm kind of a goody-two-shoes.

John, it would be a fool thing to do for a neurotic climber like you. Here I will play it out for you.

Day 1 get shot...arm hurts

Day 2 arm feels great

Day 3 arm feels great...well it has been two days so a few sets of pullups should be OK

Day 4 arm feels great...friend calls to go climbing....hmmmmm....

Day 5-30 Climb 15 days workout 5 others rest 5 days

Day 31 Hmm why does my elbow hurt again? Let's work on the project anyways.

Day 32 Arm falls off.

johnL wrote:Special note to the naturapaths. Shut up.

Willa wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbsSeVr5NSI Consider yourself healed.

Get the theraband flex bar.

amazon.com/Thera-band-26102…

Stay away from the shot. I was fighting elbow tendonitis for over a year. sometimes the pain would be so bad I couldn't wash the dishes. After a week of rest and a week using the bar, I'm back to 100%. I keep the bar in the office and use it ~3 times a week. The thing is a life saver.

Do this exercise

youtube.com/watch?v=12wPGvp…

Don't get it. I am under the impression that cortisone shots are a last ditch effort to put the "expendable" Johnny Football Star back in the game. Temporary relief with long term drawbacks... I'm no doctor, so I'm not sure what the long term effects might be? I think it weakens everything (tendons...), and maybe your testicles will fall off and you'll be governor of California?

Dear John,
DONT DO IT. Cortisone is a steroid and breaks your tissue down over time and extended use. It does not fix the problem it only masks it.
Try a Platlet Rich Plasma Injection (PRP). They draw your own blood and spin it down to get the platlets, which is your bodies NATURAL healing agent. Instead of some synthetic crap. They inject it into the affected area and the PRP injection acts as a hematoma making your ligaments and tendons vascular so they can heal better. Thats why when you injure ligaments and tendons they dont heal themselves. This is the future of Orthopedic Medicine, if your Dr. does not know or agree about this get a new DR.
Happy Healing,
Taylor-Critical Care Tech

Just curious what level of resistance people have tried with the Thera-Band. To keep my machismo alive i would like to think I'd need the heaviest but perhaps no?

johnL wrote: Special note to the naturapaths. Shut up.

ASTYM and Trigger Point Dry Needling then start with the flex-bar