Topic Overview
At one time or another, everyone has had an elbow problem that may
have caused pain or swelling. Most of the time our body movements do not cause
problems, but it's not surprising that symptoms develop from everyday wear and
tear or overuse.
Elbow problems can be minor or serious and may
include symptoms such as pain, swelling, numbness, tingling, weakness, or
changes in temperature or color. Home treatment often can relieve minor aches
and pains. To better understand elbow problems, you may want to review the
structure and function of the elbow. See a picture of the
elbow.
Conditions that may cause elbow symptoms
Overuse elbow problems
Most people may not remember
having a specific injury when their symptoms get worse over time, but overuse
problems are actual injuries. They occur when too much stress is placed on a
joint or other tissue, often when you overdo an
activity or repeat an activity over and over. Overuse
injuries include:
- Bursitis.
Swelling behind the elbow may be
olecranon bursitis (Popeye elbow).
- Tendinosis, which is a series of microtears in the
connective tissue in or around the tendon.
- Soreness or pain felt on the outside
(lateral) part of the elbow may be
tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis). This is the most
common type of
tendinopathy that affects the elbow and most often is
caused by overuse of the forearm muscles. This overuse may occur during sports,
such as tennis, swimming, golf, and sports involving throwing; jobs, such as
carpentry or plumbing; or daily activities, such as lifting objects or
gardening.
- Soreness or pain in the inner (medial) part of the elbow
may be
golfer's elbow. In children who participate in sports
that involve throwing, the same elbow pain may be described as
Little Leaguer's elbow.
- Ulnar nerve compression, which is the
pinching of the ulnar nerve in the elbow joint. This usually occurs with
repeated motions.
Treatment for an elbow problem may include first aid
measures; application of a brace, splint, or cast;
physical therapy; or medicine.
Check your symptoms to decide if and when you should see a
doctor.
Check Your Symptoms
Home Treatment
Most minor elbow problems go away
on their own. Home treatment is usually all that is needed to relieve your
symptoms.
Home treatment for minor problems
Home treatment may
help relieve pain, swelling, and stiffness.
- If you have swelling,
remove all rings, bracelets, watches, or any other jewelry that goes around your
wrist or fingers of the affected arm. It will be more harder to remove the
jewelry later if swelling increases.
- Use
rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) to treat pain and swelling.
- Wear a
sling if it makes you more comfortable and supports
your elbow. If you feel you need to use a sling for longer than 48 hours,
discuss your symptoms with your doctor.
- An elbow support, such as
an elbow sleeve, forearm wrap, or
arm sling, may help rest your elbow joint, relieve
stress on forearm muscles, and protect the joint area during an activity. A
counterforce brace may be helpful for tennis elbow
symptoms. Follow the manufacturer's directions for using the
brace.
- Gently massage or rub the area to relieve pain and encourage
blood flow. Do not massage the elbow if it causes pain.
- After 48 to
72 hours, if swelling is gone, apply
heat and begin
gentle exercise with the aid of moist heat to help
restore and maintain flexibility. Some experts recommend alternating between
hot and cold treatments.
- Do not smoke. Smoking slows healing
because it decreases blood supply and delays tissue repair. For more
information, see the topic Quitting Smoking.
Medicine you can buy without a prescription| Try a nonprescription
medicine to help treat your fever or pain: |
|---|
Talk to your child’s doctor before switching back and
forth between doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. When you switch between two
medicines, there is a chance your child will get too much medicine. |
Safety tips| Be sure to follow these
safety tips when you use a nonprescription medicine: |
|---|
- Carefully read and follow all directions
on the medicine bottle and box.
- Do not take more than the
recommended dose.
- Do not take a medicine if you have had an
allergic reaction to it in the past.
- If
you have been told to avoid a medicine, call your doctor before you take
it.
- If you are or could be pregnant, do not take any medicine other
than acetaminophen unless your doctor has told you to.
- Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than age 20 unless your doctor tells you to.
|
Symptoms to watch for during home treatment
Call your doctor if any of the following occur during home
treatment:
- Pain or swelling develops.
- Signs of infection develop.
- Numbness,
tingling, or cool, pale, skin develops.
- Symptoms do not improve
with home treatment.
- Symptoms become more severe or more
frequent.
Prevention
The following tips may prevent elbow
problems.
General prevention tips
- Don't carry objects that are too
heavy.
- Stretch before and after physical exercise, sports, or
recreational activities to warm up your muscles.
- Do
stretching and range-of-motion (ROM) exercises with
your fingers and wrist to prevent stiffening of the tendons that affect your
elbows. Gently bend, straighten, and rotate your wrist. If you have any pain,
stop the exercises.
- Use the correct techniques (movements) or
positions during activities so that you do not strain your
muscles.
- Avoid overusing your arm doing repeated movements that
can injure your
bursa or tendons. In daily routines or hobbies,
examine activities in which you make repeated arm movements.
- Take
lessons to learn the proper technique for sports. Have a trainer or person who
is familiar with sports equipment check your equipment to see if it is well
suited for your level of ability, body size, and body strength.
- If
you feel that activities at your workplace are causing pain or soreness from
overuse, call your human resources department for information on alternative
ways of doing your job or to discuss equipment modifications or other job
assignments.
Preparing For Your Appointment
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.
You can help your
doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the
following questions:
- What are your main symptoms?
- How long
have you had your symptoms?
- What were you doing when your symptoms
started?
- Have you had this problem in the past? If so, do you know
what caused the problem at that time? How was it treated?
- What
activities related to sports, work, or your lifestyle make your symptoms better
or worse?
- What home treatment measures have you tried? Did home
treatment help?
- What prescription and nonprescription medicines
have you taken? Did they help?
- Do you have any
health risks?
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
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| Primary Medical Reviewer | William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine |
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| Specialist Medical Reviewer | H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine |
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| Last Revised | February 16, 2011 |
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