“What is the healing time for tennis elbow?”

Tennis elbow can be very much like a headache and linger on forever. Treatments are helpful including stretching, icing, anti-inflammatory medication, elbow braces, physical therapy, and acupuncture. I usually discuss options of treatment with my patients but inform them that this is something hard to get rid of and it may linger.

Usually 2-3 months with proper treatment.

Good news and bad news. Good news is given enough time in most people this condition will resolve without any invasive interventions or surgery, however, the bad news is it can take 1-2 years for some people for this to resolve. The initial treatment would be to take some time off and let it rest, utilize an NSAID if able (such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen), and possibly use a counterforce strap (tennis elbow strap) to help with the discomfort when doing things that might aggravate it. If the pain starts to become limiting, visiting the Orthopedic Surgeon or a primary care sports medicine doctor can be helpful in order to confirm the diagnosis and possibly obtain an injection. Just know, that frequently despite our attempts at treating this condition, often times it comes down to the passage of time for it to resolve.

It will depend on the course of treatment and how your husband's body will respond to the treatment.