First understand the condition. The word "tendinitis" breaks down to mean "inflammation of the tendon". Inflammation brings with it swelling and pain. The swelling can cause more inflammation and the inflammation can cause more swelling. Get rid of the inflammation and the pain and swelling go away. The question is "What caused the inflammation?"
Often, it is caused by simple overuse of a tendon -- lifting too heavy , too long, or too much repetitive action. But sometimes, there can be another cause like a burr or some other cause of excessive friction along the path of travel of the tendon. In this case, the tendinitis will probably return even after you reduce the symptoms this episode.
Now, what to do about it? Well, simply put, reduce the inflammation. This can be approached from a few directions. You can start by stopping whatever action is causing your problem or find a way to modify that action so that it doesn't cause your problem -- hence, the brace. Also, use ice packs and heat several times a day.
There are 2 choices of non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (or NSAIDS) available over the counter -- Ibuprofen and Naproxen and either can be very effective. Also, as has been mentioned before, both can cause serious organ damage if used to excess. Both are first changed in the liver and then excreted by the kidney, so either organ may be damaged with overdose, so BE CAREFUL. While either drug is most often effective at over the counter doses, both drugs are also available in higher doses by a doctor's prescription. So even if they are not 100% effective at over the counter doses, the same drugs taken at higher doses taken under a doctor's supervision may be very effective. Assuming that your kidneys and liver are healthy, I would recommend taking 600mg EVERY 6 hours for 2 days. Then reduce that to 400mg every 8 hours for 3 more days whether you are hurting or not. After that, take 400mg every 6-8 hours IF NEEDED to stay ahead of a flare-up. TREAT EARLY! Be aware that you will probably retain some water while on these drugs, so watch your blood pressure. They are also irritating to you stomach, to take each dose with food.
The other options are all by a doctor's supervision and prescription. They include differentiating tendinitis from gout and treating accordingly, the use of steroids in the form of injections and/or tablets, including cortisone (and cortisone is one of the class of drugs called corticosteroids, by the way). You really don't want to treat the pain with narcotic pain relievers, much, because the pain is a direct feedback of how well the other measures are working. If you hide the pain and continue to damage the tendon and it just compounds and prolongs your problem. However, you can use the analgesic properties of Tylenol to help treat the general pain. BUT Tylenol can be VERY toxic to you liver if taken at doses totaling more than 4000 mg / day. So 4 doses of 2 Extra-Strength Tylenol per day is a maximum dose. Also watch out for Tylenol hidden in prescription pain relievers, like Lortab, Lorcet, Norco, or Darvocet if you have already seen a doctor.
I am a pharmacist by profession and get asked how to treat this on a regular basis. This is an injury, so treat it like one. Give it time to heal and don't overdo things too soon and cause a relapse.
Hope this helps.
