Elbow pain

Elbow pain may not only be caused by a blow. In many cases, it is caused by other reasons.

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What causes elbow pain?

1. The elbow is susceptible to such a disease as epicondylitis (there is external and internal). It occurs from injury or severe overload of the tendons on the arm and affects a person regardless of age. Pain in the elbow joint is felt during lifting weights, that is, when trying to load the arm, or when performing movements that require rotational force: playing tennis, prolonged work with a screwdriver or wrench. If the movements are performed without applying a load, then the pain may not even manifest itself (the same is true at rest). There are no external changes in the elbow, when palpating, unpleasant sensations may appear when touching the lateral bones, but not the joint formation itself
2. Elbow joint pain is not always direct, it can also be reflected. For example, from pain emanating from the injured area of the cervical-thoracic spine. The mobility of the joint structures is not lost, the appearance remains unchanged. Elbow joint pain torments the patient even when he keeps his arm at rest, sometimes interfering with sleep. And, emanating from the neck or shoulder blade area, it is localized not only in the elbow, but pierces the entire limb.
3. The elbow can be affected by arthrosis. Then, at the initial stages, painful sensations in the elbow will appear when a person tries to bend or straighten the arm to the end (in this case, a crunch is noticeable in the joint). If measures are not taken in time, then the mobility of the joint structures progressively decreases. In the advanced form of arthrosis, the arm is constantly in a slightly bent position, and the bones are subject to deformation.
4. Of all the causes that can cause pain in the elbow joint, about 10% are arthritis. In such situations, a person usually has other joint structures inflamed. The pain is quite strong, appears during movements, as well as at rest. The elbow becomes hot and changes shape: swelling, edema, and can become very red.
5. Often, arthritis is accompanied by elbow bursitis. During this disease, the periarticular bag becomes inflamed, and a formation filled with liquid and oval in shape can be observed on the elbow bend (on its back surface). The neoplasm does not cause severe pain to the touch.
6. Sometimes pain in the elbow joint can signal a heart disease. For example, myocardial infarction causes pain not only behind the breastbone, but also spreads to the neck, shoulder blade, stomach, left arm and even elbow. If such pains occur regularly, it is recommended to see a cardiologist. The patient also feels heaviness and compression in the chest, turns pale, may experience dizziness and eventually lose consciousness.
7. Pain in the elbow is possible with neurological pathology, formed when the ulnar nerve is compressed in the elbow canal (cubital canal syndrome). It occurs due to microtrauma of the bones. A person feels numbness, tingling on the skin. Pain in the elbow is felt at first when pressing on it or if the elbow is bent for a long time. If the disease is not treated, it can get to the point that objects begin to fall out of the hands on their own, muscle atrophy will develop.

What to do if you have pain in your elbow joint?

Elbow joint pain can be reduced by applying warming ointment, cooling gel, cream, taking syrups, tablets, and injections. However, all this should be used only after the doctor has prescribed any of the remedies.

Treatment of elbow pain

When pain in the elbow joint appears, treatment should be started immediately, because untimely measures can lead to a lot of complications.

First of all, you can relieve discomfort with painkillers, the best group for this is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Nimesulide, also known as Nise, also known as Nimesil, Ketorol (Ketanov), Meloxicam, Diclofenac, the German analogue of Diclac, which is twice as strong as the domestic one.

Nimesulide is best taken in tablets, in fact the ointment is much weaker than the same Diclofenac. Of the gels, Diclac is stronger, it relieves inflammation more, when Ketorol relieves pain. You can also use Dimexide compresses (up to 3 times a day), mixing with water, with frequent use 1:4, with rare - 1:3. For greater pain relief, Lidocaine can be added to the compress liquid. Inflammation on damaged tissues will decrease, and the pain will go away.

One should not forget about physiotherapeutic methods: physiotherapy, therapeutic massages. The patient needs to limit movement, keep the joint in a free position.

Manual therapy will help relieve pain and relax muscles when there is pain in the elbow joint.

A folk method of treating elbow joint pain is urine therapy, which uses your own urine or that of a boy under 12 years old. You need to take a linen or cotton towel, soak it in fresh urine, put it on the sore elbow, wrap it with film and cotton fabric on top, and insulate it with a woolen scarf. It is better to use this compress before going to bed, and in the morning wipe the joint with a wet cloth. Keep the elbow warm, and repeat the procedure until the pain disappears completely. Another method of compresses at night is cabbage. Its leaf is dipped in boiling water to soften, and then applied to the elbow, insulate it in the same way as in the previous method with urine.