Where does elbow pain come from and what to do about it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

There are very specific symptoms in which you urgently need to see a doctor.

Elbow - hard What Are The Causes Of Elbow Pain? / Orthopedic Associates joint. It serves as a junction point for three bones at once: humerus, radius and ulna. They all have areas of cartilage that are necessary to allow the bones to move smoothly relative to each other.

The bones are held in place by ligaments. Tendons attach muscles to them. There are also blood vessels in the elbow area that feed the muscles and surrounding tissues. And also the nerve endings, with the help of which the brain sends commands to bend or straighten the arm, squeeze or unclench the palm, move the fingers.

Damage to any of these elements can lead to elbow pain.

When to Seek Help Immediately

Call the Elbow Pain / Mayo Clinic ambulance or go to the emergency room immediately if:

• the elbow is clearly deformed, looks unnatural;
• you see a protruding bone;
• the pain is very severe, the elbow is swollen, a hematoma is visible on it;
• you cannot move your hand. For example, bending it, wiggling your fingers, holding something, or turning your hand palm up - palm down and back.

These signs indicate a dislocation or fracture. It is important to make an accurate diagnosis and start treatment as soon as possible in order to avoid complications and maintain joint mobility.

But there are other causes of elbow pain as well.

Where does elbow pain come from?

1. You hurt yourself

Accidental impact can damage the nerve endings, so you will feel acute pain Elbow Injuries / University of Michigan Health. Michigan Medicine. Fortunately, it passes quickly. But sometimes the aching pain can last a day or two after the injury - until the edema subsides, which presses on the nerve fibers.

2. You have been doing repetitive elbow movements for too long

For example, washing a window or painting a wall. Or maybe they played sports, which involves the same type of hand movements - they played ping-pong, tennis, golf. In this case, tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendons that connect muscles to bone, may occur.

Depending on which tendon is affected, doctors subdivide elbow tendonitis into different types of Elbow Injuries / University of Michigan Health. Michigan Medicine. For example, "golfer's elbow" is an inflammation of the tendons on the inner side of the joint: they are the ones that experience the greatest stress during the characteristic movement of a golfer - hitting the ball with a club. "Tennis elbow" - inflammation of the tendons on the outside.

Also, repetitive elbow movements can What Are The Causes Of Elbow Pain? / Orthopedic Associates lead to a stress fracture, or fatigue fracture - a small crack in the bone. If the load is repeated, the fatigue fracture will eventually develop into a real one. These injuries are often encountered by baseball or volleyball players who forcefully throw and hit the ball.

3. You have a pinched nerve

This is also a common situation with recurring Elbow Injuries / University of Michigan Health. Michigan Medicine hand movements. Due to the constant load, one of the nerves enters the space between the surrounding tissues, and with the slightest movement of the elbow, you feel pain, numbness, tingling or burning.

However, a pinched nerve can also occur for other reasons. For example, when hitting or unsuccessfully trying to lean on the hand.

4. You have bursitis

This is the name for irritation or inflammation of the elbow bag, in which the joint fills with fluid and swells. The elbow with bursitis feels warm or even hot to the touch and looks swollen.

This condition is also often caused by increased stress on the elbow, such as repetitive movements.

5. You have a sprain

Such injuries can result from unsuccessful - too sharp and strong - arm movements or falling on a straight arm. A sprain can be recognized by slight swelling and soreness in the elbow. Unlike a fracture, the ability to move the arm is usually retained.

6. Arthritis develops

This is the general name for diseases in which a joint becomes inflamed or begins to deteriorate. There can be many reasons: from autoimmune processes (this happens, for example, in rheumatoid arthritis) to age-related changes in cartilage tissue or various infectious diseases. So, flu and other viral or bacterial infections can lead to inflammation of the joints.

What to do if your elbow hurts

If there are no symptoms of fracture or dislocation, breathe out: pain in the elbow area is rare Elbow and arm pain / NHS is dangerous. Most often, you can get rid of it in simple ways Elbow Pain / Mayo Clinic:

• Rest your arm. Until the pain subsides, treat your elbow as carefully as possible: give up training, avoid accidental injuries.
• Apply cold compresses. For example, place an ice pack wrapped in a napkin on your elbow for 15–20 minutes.
• To reduce swelling, apply a pressure bandage to your elbow. You can bandage it with an elastic bandage.
• Keep your hand slightly raised. Say, when you are sitting, put it on the table. When lying down - on the pillow next to you. This will also reduce swelling, and the discomfort will become less pronounced.

But if this does not help and the pain does not decrease within a day or two, see a therapist or traumatologist as soon as possible. You should also consult your doctor if Elbow Pain / Mayo Clinic:

• the pain gets worse;
• your elbow hurts even when you try not to move it at all;
• new symptoms arise. For example, edema appears or increases. Or, the skin on and around your elbow turns red and hot. Or maybe you notice that it is getting harder and harder to bend your arm.

All this suggests that joint problems are growing. It is important to establish why this is happening and begin treatment.