Bone Pain In Elbow | Safe4cure
Overuse or injury are common causes of bone pain in elbow. Repetitive hand, wrist, and arm movements are needed for many sports, hobbies, and occupations. Bone, muscle, tendon, ligament, or joint issues can all lead to elbow pain. Arthritis can occasionally cause elbow pain.
The elbow joint
You can feel three bumps at the elbow joint if you bend your arm. Elbow discomfort is frequently brought on by injury to the tendons that attach muscles to the two bumps on either side of the elbow. These humps include:
The lump on the outside of the elbow is called the lateral epicondyle. This bony point serves as an anchor for the muscles on the back of your forearm that curl your wrist backward. The term "lateral epicondylitis" (often referred to as "tennis elbow") describes pain in this hump. Tennis elbow is more common in this area because of the inadequate blood flow there.
The bulge on the inside of the elbow is called the medial epicondyle. This bony point serves as an anchor for the muscles on the front of your forearm that curl your wrist upward. The term "golfer's elbow" or medial epicondylitis refers to the pain in this bump.
Symptoms of elbow pain
Some of the symptoms of elbow pain include:
- A dull discomfort while not moving
- Fist-making discomfort (golfer's elbow)
- (Tennis elbow) Pain when opening the fingers
- Aching in the afflicted elbow area
- SAhaky grasp
- Challenges and discomfort when attempting to hold objects, especially with the arm extended.
Causes of elbow pain
Some of the many circumstances that may contribute to elbow injuries include:
- lack of forearm muscular strength or flexibility
- insufficient shoulder muscle strength
- joint instability at the elbow
- Using improper technique while playing sports, particularly tennis and golf, causes the elbow joint to experience excessive tension.
- improper sporting equipment, such as utilising a heavy tennis racquet or a golf club with the wrong-sized grip
- repetitive hand and arm motions, such as those found in assembly line labour
- forcing the muscles and joints repeatedly bear hefty loads
- other elements, such as discomfort in the neck or the nerves.
Treatment for elbow pain
If the symptoms don’t improve, or if you are prone to recurring bouts of elbow pain, see your doctor or physiotherapist. Treatment options may include:
- Your physiotherapist will recommend activities to gradually strengthen the tendons.
- massage of soft tissues
- Ice therapy
- acupuncture
- bracing or taping the elbow
- You can manage the pain with anti-inflammatory and painkilling medications, but they have no positive long-term effects.
- surgery—in extreme circumstances and if discomfort does not go away after a year.
In most circumstances, corticosteroid injections are no longer advised because there is evidence that they may be hazardous over time.
More investigation is required to determine the efficacy of novel therapies including patches that can help blood vessels widen across the tendon or injections of the patient's own blood components back into the tendon.
Prevention of elbow pain
Ways to reduce the risk of elbow injury include:
- When playing a sport, always warm up and cool down completely.
- When playing your chosen sport, be sure to use adequate equipment and good technique.
- Use hand weights for strengthening workouts; your physiotherapist can recommend the best ones for you.
- Avoid or minimise work tasks that require repetitive use of the fingers, wrists, and forearms in violent movements, uncomfortable postures, or a lack of rest, as these can impose undue strain on the forearm muscles.
Read more about other pain - Upper Back Pain and Sciatica Pain
