Elbow injuries are usually a result of repetitive irritating motions, trauma, and degenerative diseases like arthritis. Persistent irritation and degeneration can lead to pain and inflammation. Some injuries improve with rest, injections, and immobilization, but others require advanced procedures from an experienced orthopedic surgeon. Here’s a look at three types of elbow injuries and when to treat them:
Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow
Lateral epicondylitis, or tennis elbow, is caused by repetitive motion and overuse of your wrist and forearm muscles. The condition causes pain on the outer part of your elbow and forearm, weakness, and difficulty gripping objects. Golfer’s elbow or medial epicondylitis involves pain on the inner side of your elbow caused by repetitive wrist flexion. Other symptoms include pain, tenderness, and difficulty moving your wrist.
Seek treatment if the pain and symptoms don’t respond to rest, ice, and over-the-counter pain relief. Your orthopedic surgeon can perform MRIs, X-rays, or nerve conduction tests to assess the injury and develop individualized care. Treatments range from anti-inflammatory injections to reparative therapies like platelet-rich plasma therapy. Such therapies should boost your body’s natural healing response.
Olecranon Bursitis
Your elbow joint has a fluid-filled sac or bursa that reduces friction between the bones and muscles in the area. The bursa can get inflamed due to trauma, prolonged pressure, repetitive motions, or infection, resulting in olecranon bursitis. Symptoms of an inflamed bursa include swelling at the back of your elbow and limited range of motion. You may also experience pain and tenderness at the elbow.
Bursitis usually causes other symptoms, such as fever and chills. You can relieve the symptoms by resting, ice, or pain and anti-inflammation drugs. Seek medical attention if the swelling and pain don’t improve or if you experience warmth and redness. Doctors recommend antibiotics for infections that have caused redness. Physical therapy is also used to restore range of motion. In some cases, your surgeon performs an operation to remove the bursa and protect surrounding muscles and ligaments.
Fractures and Dislocations
Elbow fractures are caused by direct trauma when you fall onto your outstretched arm or receive a blow to the elbow. Fractures cause severe pain, swelling, bruising, and restricted motion. You can also suffer visible deformity, and immediate medical attention is usually needed. Surgery may be recommended depending on the severity of the fracture. Elbow dislocations also occur due to trauma from falls or impact.
A dislocation happens when the bones in your elbow joint are forced out of place. Symptoms include intense pain, deformity, and difficulty moving your arm. Dislocations can also entrap the ulnar nerve passing through your elbow, causing pain, numbness, and tingling in your arm. Elbow dislocations require emergency medical treatment to realign the bones and prevent complications. Your surgeon can also perform an endoscopic cubital tunnel release.
Speak to an Orthopedic Surgeon Today
You could experience other types of elbow injuries, including osteoarthritis, ulnar neuritis, and UCL. If you experience pain, numbness, and other symptoms that last more than a few days, seek medical attention. Treatment options range from immobilization to arthroscopy and elbow joint replacement surgery. Speak to an orthopedic surgeon today to find out if you need an operation to restore your elbow’s functionality.