Can Botox ace the pain of tennis elbow?
A single, carefully placed injection of botulinum toxin (Botox) can improve the pain of tennis elbow, researchers say. However, this treatment can cause temporary loss of movement in the third and fourth fingers, which may be an unacceptable side effect for many people. What do we know already? Tennis elbow happens when you damage the tendons in your lower arm, usually by moving your arm in a repetitive way, such as when playing tennis, raking leaves, or painting. It causes pain on the outside of your elbow, which often feels worse when you grasp something or twist your arm. Tennis elbow usually gets better on its own in a few weeks, once you rest your arm and allow the tendons to heal. But occasionally, the pain lasts much longer, which may stop you playing sport or keep you off work. Botulinum toxin (Botox) is a substance that relaxes muscles by temporarily paralysing them. It’s often injected into facial muscles to reduce wrinkles and frown lines. It’s also used for medical conditio
