Every person at least once in his life has encountered such a phenomenon as elbow pain, so we all know what discomfort it can bring. After all, this is not only pain, serious discomfort, but also a limitation of the patient's motor activity. And, besides, elbow pain can be not only the result of overwork from hard physical work or injuries, but also infectious diseases, which will be discussed below.
The elbow joint connects several bones at once - the elbow, shoulder and several radial. The elbow is one of the most important parts of the hand, because thanks to it it is possible to perform a wide variety of movements, including flexion or extension of the arm. There are nerve trunks in the elbow joint. That is why with any damage in this area the elbows hurt quite a lot. These sensations are also given in the forearm, where nerve fibers also go. In addition, serious damage can cause circulatory disorders. In some cases, the patient’s limb can only be saved by surgery.
Why do my elbows hurt? And what to do with it? There are several reasons, but it is worth distinguishing from them neuritis of the ulnar nerve, penetrated infections, gout, great physical exertion, reactive arthritis, synovial chondromatosis, injuries.
Elbow pain is not the only symptom; it is often accompanied by swelling and redness. By the nature of the unpleasant sensations, one can judge the possible ailment that caused them. If the pain in the elbow is the cause of the inflammatory process, in this case it is pulsating and aching, while the sensitivity of the skin in the affected area is also reduced, the fingers are often numb, the pain becomes especially noticeable when the forearm deviates to the side. If the pain is monotonous and aching, the fingers are numb , the sensitivity of the skin of the affected area of the body falls - this is most likely neuritis.
During a fracture, one can also clearly hear the sound occurring due to the friction of bone fragments . The bones crackle, the hand, as if shortened, the joint loses its natural shape, any movement with a sick hand is absolutely impossible, and the pain is often simply unbearable.
After strong physical exertion, the elbows also often hurt. However, such pain is not intense, it begins only with certain movements, such feelings can be tolerated.
Intense elbow pain and swelling of the joint occurs with gout. Such swelling, as a rule, fetters the patient's movements. In addition, in the region of the elbow joint, a “pouch” filled with pus may appear in the language of medicine called bursitis.
There is such a thing as a “tennis player’s elbow” - this is a consequence of a long tension of muscles and tendons, due to which the tissues are very stretched. The pain in the elbows is so severe that you can neither bend nor extend your arm. Scientifically, the "elbow of a tennis player" is called epicondylitis. “Tennis elbow” the disease is called due to the fact that it is tennis players who most often exhibit overstretching of muscle tissue, which is caused by constant repetitive movements of the hands.
If the pain in the elbow does not give you rest, do not wait until it passes by itself. Consult a surgeon who will advise you and examine the sore spot. The final diagnosis depends on the results of an X-ray examination, laboratory tests or ultrasound.
To relieve pain in the elbow, special ointments and gels are often used. Ointments, which include bee venom, mustard or pepper (warming ointments), can not only relieve pain, but also partially restore blood circulation in the affected area.
The treatment of the disease in this case directly depends on its cause. If the elbow pain was caused by a fracture, gypsum should be applied to the fracture site. If neuritis caused such sensations, then acupuncture and manual therapy will help. To cure gout, use numerous medications, physiotherapy methods and diet food. Osteoarthrosis is treated with balneotherapy and therapeutic mud. In some cases, to stop or prevent the destruction of the elbow cartilage, chondroprotectors are used.