Elbow pain involves discomfort in and around your elbow ligaments, tendons, muscles, and bones. It commonly occurs due to overuse or sports injuries. Ache when your elbow is at rest, soreness around the elbow, pain when making a fist or opening your fingers, and weak grip are the common symptoms of elbow pain. Sometimes, elbow pain East Brunswick can occur for a few days and disappear completely, but you should seek medical attention if the pain persists. Your doctor will recommend medications, therapy, or surgery depending on the cause of your elbow pain. Elbow pain occurs from different disorders, which include:
Bursitis
Bursitis occurs when the small fluid-filled sacs that cushion the bones, tendons, and muscles near the joints called bursae become inflamed. Besides bursitis affecting your hip, knee, shoulder, or heel, it can also occur on your elbow. The common bursitis symptoms are achy or stiff joints, swollen and red elbow, and the elbow hurting more when pressure is applied to it. Treatment involves resting the affected joint. With proper rest, your elbow will heal within a few weeks.
Sprains and strains
A strain happens when you put too much pressure on your elbow muscles, such as lifting heavy objects or overusing your elbow during sports. A sprain involves stretching your ligaments in the elbow. This can occur playing sports that involve throwing, using racquets, or physical contact. You can relieve pain in both disorders with rest or ice, and after your pain is gone, stretching and strengthening exercises will help you regain normal functioning.
Tennis elbow
Tennis elbow occurs when the tendons in the elbow are overloaded due to repetitive action of the wrist and arm. The pain of tennis elbow mostly happens where the tendons of the forearm muscles attach to a bony bump on the outside of the elbow. It can also move to the forearm and wrist. Rest and over-the-counter painkillers can relieve tennis elbow, but your doctor might recommend surgery if your pain persists.
Stress fractures
Stress fractures are tiny cracks in your bone caused by repetitive force, mostly from overuse like repeated jumping or running long distances. Osteoporosis can also weaken the bones leading to a stress fracture. When a stress fracture develops, you may barely notice your elbow pain, but it usually worsens with time. Tenderness will decrease during rest. Swelling might occur around the painful site.
Dislocated elbow
A dislocated elbow happens when the bones that make up your joint get out of the normal alignment, especially after a fall or a motor vehicle accident. This disorder can occur in toddlers if sudden pulling is applied to an outstretched arm. Extreme pain and distortion of the joint are the symptoms you may experience when you dislocate your elbow. Your doctor can realign your dislocated elbow without surgery, but surgery might be necessary if your elbow is fractured.
Although you cannot prevent all causes of elbow pain, avoiding tasks that put extreme pressure on your elbow or arms, doing strengthening exercises, and using the right equipment during sports can help prevent some elbow pain. Schedule an appointment at Mid Atlantic Orthopedic Associates, LLP for elbow pain treatment to attain a permanent solution.
