Elbow Pain

Elbow Pain Reviews and Guide

Many people do not realize of the causes of elbow pain even though this pain is a common complaint. It is advantageous if you have the insight to be able to know causes of this pain so you can get the proper treatment for it. The elbow is the joint that connects the end of the upper arm bone, distal humerus, to the bones of the forearm, radius and ulna, with ligaments, tendons and muscles. The elbow allows us to bend, extend and rotate the arm. The radius and ulna, the two bones of the forearm, fit into the ends of the upper arm bone like a hinge forming the elbow joint. The distal humerus, the upper arm bone, flares out to form the medial and lateral epicondyles. The large bump of the ulna behind the elbow joint is called the olecranon. The olecranon forms the bony prominence of the elbow and connects with the triceps muscles of the upper arm.

If you experience elbow joint pain then the movement of the elbow becomes limited and compounded by the pain that might make you a crybaby. The main symptoms of elbow pain are reported by people suffering from this condition are pain, stiffness and limited movement in the affected joint. Your medical practitioner will check the joint for a decrease in stability of the joint which may be responsible for the restriction of movement. The medical expert may also check to see if there is any swelling in the affected area.

Kind of Cases from Elbow Pain

- Tennis Elbow : If pain is felt and it starts from the outer side of the upper forearm just under the bend of the elbow radiating down towards the wrist, this means that the person is suffering from tennis elbow. This pain is mostly felt bending or lifting the arm when even grasping light objects like a tea cup. This name has been given because playing tennis often results to this kind of elbow pain. This pain is not limited only to tennis players.

-  Golfer’s elbow:  if the pain radiates from different area of the elbow and it is felt on and around the bony area extending through the flexor muscle below the arm, it is called golfer's elbow and it is little similar to tennis elbow.

-  Bursitis : If pain is felt directly on the back of the elbow joint rather than below the outside of the arm, then this is the sign of bursitis. This is caused by the inflammation of lubricating sacs in the joint. Constant rubbing of the tendon over the bone along with high amounts of repetitive shoulder, arm, hip, knee and ankle causes this pain.

Causes of Pain in Elbow

- Injuries: Some injuries can cause stress fracture or muscle strain, leading to elbow pain.

- Disorders like arthritis, tendonitis, and bursitis: These medical conditions affect the elbows.

- Overuse: Overusing your elbow might be a reason why it's aching. Certain sports or even chores like gardening can cause overuse of the elbow. Joints suffer from wear and tear and the more you use them, the more likely they are to get hurt or damaged.

- Infected elbows: Infection might also be the cause of your aching elbow.

- Nursemaid's elbow: Nursemaid's elbow is a term used for a child that has an aching elbow due to his or her guardian frequently pulling the child's arm to follow. It can put pressure to on the elbow and can stretch the muscles and joints around the arm to the point of even dislocation.

- Sprains and strains: These can damage the elbow or area around it, which your body alerts you about with the feeling of pain.

Home Treatment of Elbow Pain 

-When you experience elbow pain, you should remain calm and not panic. 

-What you do first is to assess the pain. 

- Check the specific location and assess if you can find any bruises, if there are no fractured bones and if you can find any unusual symptoms there such as rashes. 

- Check also if the pain happens in just one location or if radiates to the other parts of your arm. 

- Observe the pain if it occurs with activity or not and if it is relieved when you assume a certain position.

- Once you have made your assessment and if you see that it does not need immediate medical attention, you try self-care treatments at home.

- You should constantly assess your elbows though and note any changes that have occurred regarding the pain.

- To provide relief for your elbow pain, you can begin by applying ice over the affected area for 15 minutes hourly during the first day that you experience the pain. 

- During the next three days, the ice can be applied every three to four hours.

- To prevent further injuries, you should wrap the ice with a cloth before applying. 

- Resting your elbow is also important to avoid making the injury worse.

- Provide complete rest for the elbow for two days even if you feel better already during the first day. 

- You should not do the activity that you have been doing when the pain occurred for at least three weeks for if you do, the pain and injury will get worse. 

- While resting the elbow, keep it elevated above the level of the heart to help improve the blood flow. 

- You can also apply a bandage and a splint so that the elbow is immobilized which gives it more time to recover.

If home treatment of elbow pain that you have done did not help improve your condition then you need to visit a doctor for medical care. You should also go to a health care professional immediately when you notice an obvious deformity in your elbow, when there is a direct elbow injury, when you cannot use the affected area and when you develop fever and the elbow becomes swollen and red.