HOW TO TREAT ELBOW PAIN?

Elbow pain usually affects those who engage in repetitive elbow movements (gripping, lifting) excessively in work, sport or activities in that nature, for example:

• Products assemblers, assembly line workers in factories, or manufacturing plants.
• Individuals whose jobs require extensive arm use such as chefs, artists, carpenters, etc.
• Sport enthusiasts, athletes who play sports that require significant arm strength such as baseball, tennis, weightlifting, push-ups, etc

• Pathological causes: Most elbow pain arises from strain or inflammation in soft tissues, such as: tendonitis, arthritis, bursitis, etc.
• External causes: Elbow pain can be a result of external factors including fall-related injuries, contact sport injuries, bone fractures, sprains, muscle strains, dislocation and tendon rupture.
• Wear and tear causes: Injuries caused by repetitive movements over time can lead to wear-and-tear injuries, often caused by sports like tennis or golf or specific job requirements

Symptoms of elbow pain can vary depending on its cause. The common symptoms may include:

• Pain in one or both arms
• Pain in the lateral or medial side of the elbow
• Feeling of pain deep in the elbow joint
• Throbbing pain
• Dull pain
• Numbing or tingling sensation in the arm or hand
• Joint stiffness
• Swelling
• Reduced gripping strength
• Inability to move the elbow or limited range of motion
• Bruising

During a consultation, doctors assess patient history and clinical symptoms and may order specific tests to correctly identify the cause of elbow pain:

• Elbow X-Ray: check for bone injuries, fractures or arthritis
• Elbow ultrasound: quickly locate injured parts in the skeletal system
• MRI: examine the soft tissues surrounding joints, cartilages, ligaments, capillaries and nerves
• Electromyogram: use mild electric shocks to stimulate and measure nerve response speed

Doctors will base on causes and conditions to give corresponding treatments. With elbow pain due to excessive exercise, patients just need to rest and administer short-term painkillers to recover. However, with the more severe pain, patients need to have long-term treatment or surgical intervention.
 
- Medication: Based on the pain level, doctors can indicate several types of over-the-counter painkillers, including:

• Acetaminophen
• Aspirin
• Non-steroid Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen

If ineffective, doctors can prescribe stronger painkillers or corticosteroid injectionsDoctors can also suggest several rehabilitative exercises for injuries from repetitive movements or elbow arthritis, such as:

• Wrist stretching: Extend the arm and gently it towards the body to stretch the medial side of the forearm.
• Wrist stretching: Extend the arm with palms and fingers facing down, gently pull fingers towards the body to stretch the lateral side of the forearm.
• Wrist strengthening: Rest forearm on the table, with palm up or down.
• Forearm rotation strengthening: Place forearm on a table with palm to the side, then rotate the palm until facing down, then return to the starting position, practice with light weights.

• Resting: Avoid elbow movement for several days to help alleviate pain.
• Ice compress: Use ice packs or ice cubes wrapped in cloth or towel to avoid direct contact with the skin, apply on the painful area for 15-20 minutes, 3-4 times a day.
• Elbow splint or brace: Use elastic brace and cover the elbow to keep warm and limit excessive joint movements, which helps reduce pressure on the arm with certain movements.
• Elevating the elbow: This might help with the swelling and pain. Resting the elbow on your knee or leg can add comfort.

These methods could help alleviate pain and assist recovery; however, patient should consult with a specialist or a physiotherapist to have the best tailored methods.Pain in the elbow joint from accident, natural wear-and-tear due to aging is often difficult to prevent, but these following suggestions may help reduce risks of elbow conditions caused by physical exercises or work:

• Warm-ups before physical activities, such as sports or gym.
• Follow the techniques and use correct form for physical activities like weight-lifting, golf, tennis, etc. to minimize stress on arm.
• Thoroughly cool down the body after exercising.
• Make sure your injuries completely recovered before returning physical activities or work
• Balance time spending on exercising, working and resting; avoid excessive activities and overwork.
• Have a healthy diet in order to get a full range of nutrition which help maintain health bones, tissues and muscles.

At the Orthopedic Department of American International Hospital (AIH), we offer a variety of treatment solutions for musculoskeletal issues, including orthopedic diagnosis, conservative treatment, surgery, and orthopedic rehabilitation.

Our orthopedic specialists work closely with physical therapists to create individualized treatment plans and exercise regimens for each patient. These plans are tailored based on a comprehensive assessment of various factors, including the severity of the condition, the patient’s occupation, sports habits, co-existing medical conditions, and a suitable training schedule.