The elbow is a joint formed by three bones: the humerus, your upper arm bone, and the ulna and radius, the two bones that make up your forearm. Each bone has cartilage on end, allowing it to slide against other bones. Ligaments, which are tough tissues, hold them in place. Moreover, your tendons connect your bones to your muscles, allowing you to move your arm in various ways.
Elbow pain is frequently brought on by overuse. Many sports and jobs require repetitive hand, wrist, and arm movements. Even though elbow pain due to arthritis can occur occasionally, your elbow joint is typically much less prone to damage from wear and tear than many other joints.
You may experience pain if any of these parts, as well as the nearby nerves and blood vessels, are damaged.
Understanding the Causes of Elbow Pain
Below are some of the reasons for elbow pain-
- One-time Injuries
Some injuries, like falling or getting hit while playing a sport, are some reasons that may result in pain. Moreover, this pain, after a certain period, may culminate into severe problems. The Types of one-time injuries mentioned below are the causes of elbow pain.
- Dislocated elbow
A dislocated elbow arises when one of the bones that comprise the elbow joint is displaced from its location. Among the commonly experienced causes of this condition is an attempt to break a fall by extending the arm to brace the impact.
- Fractured elbow
If one of your arm bones breaks at the elbow, then you may have a fracture. This typically occurs after receiving a sudden blow, such as in a car accident or during a contact sport.
Extreme exertion on the muscles of the elbow while lifting heavy objects or overexertion during athletic sports or activities may result in strain. People who participate in sports that demand throwing, using racquets, or concern physical contact are at a greater risk of facing elbow sprains.
- Wear-and-Tear Injuries
Other injuries develop over time as you repeatedly perform specific actions and subject your elbow to wear and tear. Sports injuries are common, as are workplace accidents like in factories and offices.
- Bursitis
Bursitis can also result from an infection or an accident, though it is frequently brought on by repeatedly performing the same motion. Bursae are tiny sacs filled with fluid. They cushion your bones, tendons, and muscles in your joints. They also make it easier for the skin to cover the bone. However, they might swell, and that may cause pain. Bursitis is frequently treated with pain medication; improvement can occur within a few weeks.
- Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow
These conditions are examples of tendinopathy or tendinosis, which means the tendons surrounding your elbow have been damaged due to overuse. Despite the names, injuries don’t just affect tennis or golf players. Due to the arm movements used in those sports, you are more likely to develop them. Tennis elbow generally affects the outside of your elbow, and a golfer’s elbow affects the inside.
- Trapped nerves
The ulnar nerve, one of the major nerves in your arm, is compressed as it travels along the inside of your elbow and through a structure known as the cubital tunnel if you have cubital tunnel syndrome. You may experience hand, arm, and fingers numbing or causing pain.
- Stress fractures
An arm bone with a small crack due to overuse is said to have a stress fracture. Although they tend to occur more frequently in the lower legs and feet, athletes who frequently throw, like baseball pitchers, can also develop them in the elbow. Throwing typically makes the pain worse.
- Rheumatoid arthritis
The most prevalent form of arthritis in the elbow is rheumatoid. When you have it, your immune system attacks your body’s healthy tissue, resulting in joint swelling. When the cartilage in your elbow degenerates over time, you develop osteoarthritis.
- Osteochondritis dissecans
This condition primarily affects children and teenagers when a bone fragment near the elbow dies. When you exercise, the bone fragment and some cartilage break off, causing pain. Although it can also occur in the elbow, it happens more frequently in the knees.
- Gout
This particular form of arthritis causes a waste product to be expelled from the body, and uric acid accumulates in tissues as crystals. The buildup in your elbow can be extremely painful.
- Lupus
This condition causes your immune system to attack healthy body tissues, such as your joints and organs. It typically affects your hands and feet but can also lead to elbow issues.
Other Reasons for Elbow Pain
- The tendons that connect the forearm muscles to the outer elbow become micro-torn due to overuse. The muscle in the wrist rubs against the bony protrusions of the elbow due to being pulled backward and away from the palm. Inflammation and pain in the outside of the elbow are caused due to this.
- Receptive motions and excessive forearm muscle use, such as that experienced by carpenters, butchers, cooks, etc.
- Injuries to the forearm muscles can also result from unsupervised weightlifting at the gym.
How Can an Elbow Pain be Treated?
A few of the best and most useful ways of elbow pain treatment are mentioned below-
- Medications: Anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or corticosteroid injections like acetaminophen may help control the pain and swelling.
- Physical therapy: The muscles in the forearms are strengthened as a result. Physical therapy recommendations may also include ultrasound and ice massage.
- Platelet-rich plasma: The biological treatment of the affected tendons and tissues is improved with the help of this therapy.
- Brace: The necessary rest for these areas to heal could be provided by a brace that supports the back of the injured elbow and forearm.
- Extracorporeal shock wave therapy: This treatment uses sound waves to speed up the body’s natural healing process on the elbow.
Summing Up
The population prevalence of lateral elbow pain ranges between 1 and 3%. In general practice, lateral elbow pain affects 4–7/1000 patients annually and is typically diagnosed and treated in primary care.
Various factors beyond the typical sports injury or arthritis can cause elbow pain. Therefore, seeking medical attention and practising proper ergonomics can help relieve the pain and control future issues.