Elbow joint tendonitis is a pathology that is characterized by an inflammatory process with tendons of the involved joint involved in it. Symptoms are usually pain and impaired mobility in the damaged area.
General information
Most often, the inflammatory process is localized in the area of the tendon that is attached directly to the bone. But it often happens that the disease covers the fibers along their entire length.
The fundamental difference between tendonitis of the tendons of the elbow joint and simple injuries of the ligaments is the parallel occurrence of processes of violation of tissue integrity and their recovery. In case of damage, an inflammation center and pronounced pain sensations immediately arise, which makes it possible to significantly reduce the load on the affected area. In turn, with tendinitis of the ankle joint, for example, many patients can continue to exert some pressure on the injured area, since the tendons are at different degrees of regeneration.
It is the preservation of the load in parallel with the ongoing inflammatory and degenerative process that often turns out to be the cause of the appearance of a chronic form of tendonitis. In addition to this variety, there is an acute pathology. The main prerequisite for the development of the disease is considered to be a significant excess of the permissible level of load on the joint, for example, during exercise or professional activity.
Features
Elbow joint tendinitis, the symptoms and treatment of which can occur in different ways depending on the stage, are most often found in people who make monotonous and systematic movements of the hand. Typically, this phenomenon is directly related to the patient's professional activities. Under the influence of constant loads and other harmful factors, an inflammatory process arises in a certain joint. It is this that provokes the occurrence of negative signs and becomes the cause of failures in the performance of the damaged arm.
The tactics of treating tendonitis of the elbow joint involves the use of both conservative and surgical therapeutic techniques. In this matter, it all depends on the characteristics of the symptoms of the disease.
Causes of occurrence
Elbow joint tendonitis is an inflammatory anomaly in which tendon damage is observed, against which full mobility of the musculoskeletal system is impaired. Such a disease is considered professional, since it arises in people who, due to their work responsibilities, make the same movements, involving the hand in them.
Tendonitis is extremely common among athletes, especially those involved in golf and tennis, as well as musicians, car mechanics and builders. When carrying out constant movements of the hand, an increased load on the tendons appears, as a result of which tissue integrity is damaged and necrosis develops. Against the background of cell death, there is an active deposition of salts in an injured place.
There are many factors that act as a trigger for the occurrence of tendonitis and inflammation:
- injuries of the musculoskeletal system;
- immunity dysfunction;
- metabolic disorder;
- hypothermia;
- rheumatic diseases;
- infection in soft tissues;
- allergic to certain medications.
Pathogenesis
Among other things, there are iatrogenic diseases that are caused by an incorrectly defined diagnosis or improperly selected treatment tactics.
Most often, specialists are faced with pathologies associated with an inadequate load on the ligamentous system, as well as diseases that appeared due to age-related changes in people who are over 40 years old. Over time, the amount of elastin fibers decreases significantly, and the number of collagen fibers, on the contrary, increases. This is what becomes the prerequisite for the appearance of less extensibility of the ligaments, which in adulthood are no longer able to withstand ordinary loads.
Symptoms and varieties
When injuring the elbow, the clinical manifestations of the pathology can manifest in acute or subacute form. The first symptom that indicates the onset of the inflammatory process is pain. Its intensity increases with the progression of the disease. Then there is a feeling of stiffness, in which it is extremely difficult for the patient to bend the elbow. Negative symptoms increase at night, which causes sleep problems. The development of the disease can also be accompanied by a typical crunch during hand movements.
External signs of pathology can be seen in the photo. Symptoms and treatment of tendonitis of the elbow joint are interconnected, since therapy is aimed primarily at eliminating unpleasant clinical manifestations. The presence or absence of the need for surgical intervention also depends on the signs.
And the symptomatology itself is determined by the form of the course of the disease:
- Lateral variety. This type is characterized by inflammation of the tendons attached to the muscles that take part in the extension of the joint. This pathology is common among athletes. The main signs are pain, which cover the inner side of the joint and give to the shoulder and forearm. The patient also has weakness in the area of the brush.
- Medial form. With such an anomaly, tendons attached to the flexors of the arm are damaged. Often the disease is associated with the work of the patient, in which he has to systematically repeat the rotational movements of the limb. It manifests itself as stiffness and pain. The epicenter of the injury is localized on the inside of the elbow.
Common symptoms
A characteristic symptom of tendonitis of the elbow joint is increased pain exclusively with active mobility of the injured limb. But at rest, unpleasant sensations usually do not arise. Soreness also increases with attempts to palpate the affected area. Often the pain intensifies with a change in climate, weather or in the evening.
If the inflammatory process is quite strong, then the patient may experience a limitation of mobility in the damaged joint. Typical symptoms of tendonitis of the elbow joint also occur, such as an increase in the temperature of the epithelium at the site of tendon damage and flushing of the skin. In some cases, during the diagnosis of the disease, crepitus can be detected in the area of diseased ligaments.
In the chronic form of tendonitis during palpation, individual plastic nodules located in the area of the affected tendon can be detected. Their occurrence is due to local hypertrophy of fibrous tissue.
Diagnostics
To establish an accurate diagnosis, the specialist collects an anamnesis of complaints of the victim, his injuries of the musculoskeletal system, concomitant diseases. A thorough examination of the damaged area is also carried out to determine the severity of the pain syndrome, its localization and the stage of development of tendonitis of the elbow joint.
To diagnose articular mobility, many functional examinations are performed: viral stress, compression syndrome, supination analysis, and others.
To differentiate tendonitis, among other degenerative anomalies of the musculoskeletal system, radiography is used to detect the presence of necrotic foci and increase the density of soft tissues. If necessary, MRI and CT are also used, however, it should be borne in mind that with such a pathology, these diagnostic methods are uninformative.
To determine the quantitative ratio of important trace elements and the presence of an inflammatory process in the body, a general blood test is performed. Using ultrasonography, you can identify the location of pathological foci.
How to treat elbow tendonitis
To achieve a positive therapeutic effect, the patient’s injured arm is immobilized with plaster, an elastic bandage or a tight bandage. Cold compresses are applied to the injured area to reduce pain and prevent swelling. Treatment of tendinitis of the ankle joint, elbow and shoulder has the general principles, which are the use of all methods of physical rehabilitation:
- Exercise therapy. It is aimed at stabilizing local blood flow and getting rid of tendon contracture. Procedures are performed slowly with a minimum range of motion.
- Massage. Helps to get rid of stagnant processes, swelling and stabilize microcirculation. Massage movements affect sedation and eliminate pain.
- Physiotherapeutic procedures. They are used at all stages of treatment. Their action is aimed at lowering the pain syndrome and eliminating inflammatory processes. In the treatment of tendonitis of the elbow joint, drug electrophoresis, ultrasound, and magnetotherapy are also used.
Pharmaceuticals
Drug therapy is necessary to eliminate pain and inflammation. For this, many non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used. And to minimize the negative impact on the digestive tract, ointments and gels of local action with anesthetic and warming effects are used.
If the main cause of the onset of pathology is infection, in this case antibacterial medications are recommended to the patient.
Treatment of tendonitis of the elbow joint folk remedies
In fact, therapy for such a disease can be carried out not only with the help of medications, but also through old recipes. To eliminate pain and eliminate the inflammatory phenomenon, traditional medicine advises the use of decoctions and tinctures based on medicinal herbs, for example, plantain, bird cherry or ginger.
Often, the patient is shown rubbing using honey or propolis. Hot baths with coniferous plants help to achieve a good therapeutic result.
Surgical intervention
In some cases, conservative methods do not bring a positive effect, and the general condition of the victim at the same time only worsens. In the case of active proliferation of necrosis with a slow recovery of damaged cells, as well as the appearance of erosive neoplasms covering nearby tissues, the patient is shown surgical intervention. Usually, when the elbow joint is damaged, the inflamed tendons are excised .
Prevention and Predictions
The main goal of the preventive measures of inflammation of the elbow is to provide rest to the joint. In this case, the victim must avoid prolonged stress on the joint, abandon sudden movements and lifting weights.
To replenish the body with collagen and improve the elasticity of tendons, experts advise supplementing the daily menu:
- nuts
- chicken eggs;
- citrus fruits;
- beef;
- Apricots
- dairy products;
- bell pepper;
- vegetable oil;
- sea fish.
At the same time, foods that interfere with the absorption of calcium in ligaments should be deleted from the diet: fatty foods, coffee, radish, chocolate, sorrel, tea, oatmeal. In addition, you should abandon the use of all kinds of hormonal drugs, especially contraceptives.
If therapy was untimely, then the disease can acquire a chronic form, which is accompanied by systematic pain and limited joint mobility. In addition, the pathology can spread to the ligamentous sac, and then to the entire joint.