Steve
I don't know what really works well, but I have been suffering with tendonitis in my shoulder, and my Dr. prescribed a cocktail of 3 medications which seem to work a little... They are Vicodin (4x daily as needed) a new NSAID called Mobic (1x in the morning with food) and a muscle relaxant called Flexeril (3x daily)... It helps a little, but as you said, it is very difficult to find a medication that REALLY works, and you cannot use Vicodin or Flexeril on a long term basis. If you find a good alternative, please e-mail me