Whether you’re swinging a racquet or simply sitting down to a meal, your elbow is a hard-working joint. When elbow pain develops, it can have a wide-ranging effect on your ability to use your entire arm. The team at 7 Springs Orthopedics has the diagnostic tools to get to the source of your pain, getting you the treatment you need to regain use of your arm.
Many elbow problems are the result of repetitive use or degenerative conditions that wear the joint down, including:
- Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
- Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis)
- Olecranon bursitis
- Biceps rupture
- Tendinitis
- Arthritis (rheumatoid and osteoarthritis)
- Ulnar collateral ligament tear
- Cubital tunnel syndrome
- Pitcher’s elbow (Little Leaguer’s elbow)
Some conditions start after an injury and get progressively worse if you continue to use your elbow. Sports often play a large role in causing elbow pain, especially golf, tennis, and baseball.
However, elbow problems can also develop as a result of your work (painters and construction workers, for example). In fact, a condition known as olecranon bursitis is common among plumbers, who spend considerable time propped up on their elbow, which irritates the bursa sac.
Each of our many locations of 7 Springs Orthopedics features on-site imaging, which allows your provider to quickly get a look at what’s going on inside your elbow. Based on these images, a physical examination, and a review of your symptoms, your provider diagnoses your elbow pain and comes up with the best treatment plan for your situation.
Some of the most common treatments for elbow pain include:
- Medications
- RICE — rest, ice, compression, and elevation
- Corticosteroid injections
- Immobilization with a sling
- Casting
- Physical therapy
- Regenerative medicine
If your elbow pain comes from an issue that requires surgery, 7 Springs Orthopedics has board-certified orthopedic surgeons on staff who offer the latest arthroscopic surgeries to relieve elbow pain.
To get to the bottom of your elbow pain, call 7 Springs Orthopedics or request an appointment using the online scheduler.
How does the elbow work?
Before looking at the common causes of elbow pain, it’s helpful to step back and take a look at the anatomy of the joint to better understand where, and why, pain can develop in your elbow.
Your elbow is a hinge joint where three bones come together:
- Humerus (upper arm)
- Radius (lower arm)
- Ulna (lower arm)
The bony protrusions at the bottom of your humerus (which are sometimes referred to as the “funny bones”) are called epicondyles. Uniting the bones in the joint are muscles, ligaments, and tendons, which all work together to provide support and movement in the joint. Outside of progressive and degenerative conditions, elbow pain can also stem from dislocations or fractures, such as a supracondylar fracture, which is a fracture in your humerus, just above your elbow.
To get moving again, free from elbow pain, call your nearest 7 Springs Orthopedics or request an appointment using our online scheduling tool.