Pain in the elbow

The pain in the elbow brings the person not only painful sensations, but also is able to limit his motor activity by hands, delivering considerable discomfort. However, due to the fact that the elbow is in good visibility for the doctor, the examination and treatment procedures are not difficult.

The normal degree of extension and bending at the elbow ranges from 0 to 150 °. With a bent elbow, supination and rotation are carried out at 90 °. Pain in the elbow and in the middle of the outer part of the hand can be irradiation, from the shoulder joint area.

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What causes pain in the elbow?

Pain in the elbow can form due to a variety of causes, such as, for example, osteochondrosis, diseases associated with inflammatory processes (gout, osteoarthritis, tendonitis, rheumatoid arthritis, swelling, chondrocalcinosis) cause pain in the elbow. Its appearance provokes an osteophyte, which narrows the groove of the ulnar nerve, forming an ulnar neuropathy.

Lateral or medial epicondylitis

You can find other names: "elbow player tennis" and "elbow golfer." At the first disease the pain in an elbow appears at an extension of an arm or a hand, and in the second case, on the contrary, at a flexion. Damage results from overstrain of tendons and muscle tissue of the forearm, leading to an inflammatory process. Pain is felt during palpation and passive movement.

Lateral epicondylitis is external. Elbow begins to ache when a person makes loads, from which the body has weaned (for example, sports after a long break). The epicondyle of the humerus suffers, but the pain in the elbow can irradiate down the arm. The disease often manifests itself in people older than 35 years. It occurs as a result of overexertion of the tendon of the common extensor, which is attached to the lateral epicondyle of the humerus. At the same time, the aponeurosis fibers may break. Pain in the elbow is sharply increased with the strain of the said tendon (flexion of the wrist and fingers with a pierced position of the hand). Painful sensations occur on the anterior surface of the lateral epicondyle of the humerus. Ask the patient to unbend the brush, and then lightly press it on top of the pain in the elbow increases dramatically. X-ray pathology is not detected. Over time, pain in the elbow usually passes, but infiltration of hydrocortisone to the beginning of the tendon promotes faster pain removal and recovery. If this measure is ineffective, then it is advisable to appoint a physiotherapist to the patient. In severe cases, when nothing helps, they take surgical treatment: they "tear off" the very beginning of the general extension from the bone and leave it free in its proper place - it can bring significant relief to the patient.

Medial epicondylitis, on the contrary, is internal and it is less common than the external one. Pain in the elbow occurs when you try to palpate in an area where the muscles are attached to the medial epicondyle, and also spreads down the arm (along the ulnar surface).

"Student's elbow"

It is based on traumatic bursitis, which occurs as a result of pressure on the elbows, for example, during a lengthy reading of an exciting book. There is pain in the elbow and a swelling below the elbow process. Other causes include septic or gouty bursitis [in the latter case, gouty tofi (nodes) in other places should be sought]. Aspirate fluid from the bursa. In case of traumatic bursitis, hydrocortisone is injected into the cavity of the synovial bag. Septic bursitis must be drained.

Neuritis of the ulnar nerve

Fibrosis of the ulnar nerve and ulnar neuropathy can cause osteoarthritic narrowing of the ulnar groove, constriction of the ulnar nerve in the place where it passes behind the medial epicondyle of the ulna, and friction of the ulnar nerve due to the valgus elbow (often the effects of supracondylar fractures in childhood). Patients often experience uneasiness when moving in the hand. Pain sensations often limitedly spread to the little finger and the medial surface of the ring finger. There is a weakness of the small muscles of the hand, innervated by the ulnar nerve (muscle that leads the thumb of the wrist, the interosseous muscles, the muscle that removes the pinky of the hand, and the muscle that opposes the little finger of the hand). A study of the conduct on the nerve reveals the area of its defeat. Treatment consists in the rapid release of the strangulated nerve and in its placement in a new canal in front of the elbow.

"Valgus Elbow"

The normal degree of valgusity ("forming angle") in the elbow is 10 ° for men and 15 ° for women. If fractures in the lower end of the humerus or disturbances in the growth site of the lateral epiphysis, this angle may increase. As a result, ulnar neuritis and osteoarthritis of the elbow joint occur. Both of these conditions require treatment.

"The Varus Elbow"

This deformation usually occurs after incomplete fusion of supracondylar fractures.

Osteoarthritis of the elbow joint

The risk factors for this disease are exfoliating osteitis and fractures with injuries of the elbow joint. Usually the flexion and extension at the elbow joint are violated, the rotation is preserved. Surgical intervention is rarely shown, but if pain remains in the lateral parts, excision of the radial head can be made. If the pain in the joint is associated with the presence of "free bodies" in the joint cavity, which at the same time can block the joint, they are removed.

Other causes of pain in the elbow

• Pain in the elbow causes inflammation in the surface bag of the elbow process (bursitis of the elbow process) due to permanent injury of the elbow surface (posterior-lower) or formed with gout, arthritis, RA. When the arm is unbent, in the zone of the elbow process you can see a new formation of round shape up to a chicken egg.
• Suffering hemophilia, neurotrophic arthropathy Charcot, experience pain in the elbow. In hemophilia, it appears due to the fact that the articular cavity is filled with poorly coagulating blood.
• With diffuse fasciitis, when the elbow joint becomes limited in movement, the skin around the shoulders and forearms resembles the crust of the orange, and small seals are felt under the skin during palpation.
• The joint blockade caused at a chondromatosis of joints. In the cavities of the joints, the doctor can find unnecessary formations (bone or cartilaginous) that impede movement in the joint.
• Defeat of the cervical (fifth-sixth) or thoracic (first-second) vertebrae: osteochondrosis of the spine or infringement in the intervertebral hernia of the nerve pathways. With such diseases, the pain in the elbow is felt both during the movement of the hand and when it is at rest. Pain does not remain in place, but localized throughout the arm. In this case, often the biceps brachium muscle undergoes atrophy, the sensitivity of the dermal surfaces of the forearm undergoes changes.
• Injury of the elbow joint: dislocations, subluxations, fractures. Damage can be obtained by falling on the elbow or brush, in a car accident, during sports classes, while working in production, etc.

What should I do if I have pain in my elbow?

Pain in the elbow requires a doctor. If it is not possible to get medical help right away, you should stop moving the patient with your hand, fix the elbow joint and apply the ice for a short while to the sore spot.

Treatment of pain in the elbow

Treatment of pain in the elbow begins with a patient's examination. He is checked for the degree of tenderness of the elbow joint, swelling of the elbow, the ability to bend and unbend the arm. Then the patient is assigned a radiography, which will help to establish an accurate diagnosis.

Often, for patients who suffer from pain in the elbow, treatment is also in the delivery of urine, blood, fluorography, because the ulnar pain can be the presence of tuberculosis or any infectious disease, for example, bursitis.

If the patient does not need urgent surgical care, he is prescribed antibacterial therapy, which helps to eliminate inflammation and bring the joint back to normal. And in order to reduce pain in the elbow less patient, the doctor can prescribe him anti-inflammatory non-steroid drugs in the form of tablets or injections. Sometimes prescribe and ointments.

After the patient's inflammatory process has been eliminated, he may be prescribed exercise therapy, an elbow zone massage, physiotherapy, acupuncture.

If there is no possibility to consult a doctor at the moment, you can resort to the treatment of pain by alternative means, but you should understand that self-medication is a very dangerous thing, and you should act carefully here. For the treatment of pain by alternative means, the following methods can be used:

• It will take a shell of chicken eggs, curdled milk or sour milk. At the shell, remove the film and grind it into powder. Ingredients should be taken equally and thoroughly mixed to obtain a homogeneous mass.

Lay the mass on a towel or handkerchief and wrap the patient with a squeezed elbow. On top of that, still cover with cellophane and a warm kerchief. The compress is applied for an hour, and then the joint is wiped with a clean towel.

If the pain in the elbow appeared not so long ago, then after 5 courses of wrapping an improvement will be felt. With long-term pain, you need to take a break for 5 days and repeat the entire course (continue until it's relieved).

• It is necessary to take the upper part of several colors of the buttercup (the plant is poisonous, therefore, very carefully handle the prepared product) and pour steep boiling water (200 gr.). Let it last for 20 minutes, then pour into a large saucepan, pour hot (about 5 liters.) And dip the elbow into the pan and soak it. The temperature of the hot water should be such as to endure.

Wet a towel in this infusion and wrap them with the elbow joint. Soar the elbow before going to bed, and keep the compress all night. After a while, the elbow will stop ache.

• From 3 eggs take the proteins and whip them. Take 50 grams of medical alcohol, 50 grams of camphor and 50 grams of dry mustard. In the resulting mixture put the whipped proteins, mix well and lubricate the elbow. Tie with a warm kerchief and leave for the night. Ointment can be used for several days, but kept in the refrigerator.
• Sabelnik swamp helps with joint pain. The roots of the swamp saber finely chopped to have a 1/3 liter can. Add the vodka to the jar and put it in the dark for 3 weeks. Infusion strain and take 1 tbsp. Spoon three times a day. You can moisten the tincture with a towel for a night compress on the elbow joint.