Tendon Inflammation: Causes, Treatments, and What Works Best

When your tendon inflammation, the swelling and irritation of the tissue connecting muscle to bone. Also known as tendinitis, it often flares up after repetitive motion, injury, or aging. It’s not just a minor ache—it can lock up your shoulder, make walking painful, or stop you from gripping anything at all.

Most cases of tendon inflammation aren’t caused by a single injury but by slow, constant stress. Think typing all day, lifting weights wrong, or even gardening. The body tries to heal, but if the strain keeps coming, the tendon gets stuck in a cycle of damage and incomplete repair. That’s when pain, stiffness, and swelling show up. You might notice it most in the morning, or after sitting too long. It’s not just "old age"—it’s overuse, poor mechanics, or sometimes even medication side effects.

What helps? aspirin, a common over-the-counter pain reliever that reduces inflammation is often the first step. It’s cheap, easy to get, and works for mild cases. But if the pain sticks around, doctors may turn to prednisolone, a corticosteroid that shuts down inflammation faster than OTC drugs. It’s powerful, but not for long-term use—side effects like weight gain, mood swings, and bone thinning kick in fast. Other options? Rest, ice, physical therapy, and sometimes even injections. But not every treatment fits every person. What works for a runner’s knee might do nothing for a painter’s shoulder.

What you won’t find in most guides? The truth that tendon inflammation often gets worse with too much rest—or too much stretching. It’s not a simple "rest and heal" problem. It’s a tissue adaptation issue. The tendon needs the right kind of load, at the right time, to rebuild. That’s why physical therapy isn’t just about massage—it’s about controlled movement that teaches the tendon to handle stress again. And while some people swear by supplements or creams, the real fix usually comes from changing how you move, not just what you swallow.

Below, you’ll find real comparisons of treatments that actually matter—like how prednisolone stacks up against other steroids, or how aspirin helps with inflammation beyond just headaches. These aren’t theory pieces. They’re based on what people experience, what doctors recommend, and what the data shows. Whether you’re dealing with tennis elbow, Achilles pain, or shoulder tendinitis, you’ll find clear, no-fluff advice on what to try, what to avoid, and when to walk away from home remedies and see a pro.