How to treat elbow joints of the hands. Elbow pain causes and treatment. Green tea and clay treat epicondylitis

One of the common problems of older people is pain in elbow joint, treatment with folk remedies is most often the most obvious and simple way out, especially when there is not enough money for expensive medicines, and there is no particular need for them.

Despite many stereotypes, such an injury can occur in a person at any age, but the likelihood increases along with the number of elbow strikes, the presence of such diseases, the frequency of flexion-extensor movements and the type of activity.

The most common cause of such pain is a violation of local blood circulation, that is, squeezing of blood vessels. Such an option may mean, for example, a simple dislocation, but it may also signal a cancerous tumor in the region of the same elbow.

Causes of pain

Epicondylitis (inflammation of the joint where the bones attach to the muscles) excellent tool there will be ice made from green tea. A spoonful of dry leaves should be poured with a glass of boiling water, cool the drink and put in a couple plastic bags, send to the freezer.

After that, the ice from the bag must be pulled out and applied to the damaged elbow. Ice plates need to be tied to the joint with a bandage.

If the elbow joint hurts, treatment with folk recipes involves the use of clay. Blue clay, which can be bought at almost any pharmacy, will help relieve pain in the elbow joint with epincodylitis.

Dry clay must be mixed with warm water and the resulting mixture placed on a cloth that will need to be attached to the joint with a bandage. It is necessary to make three such compresses at once, each leaving for half an hour.

Such kind of warming up should be done after compresses from pieces of ice. But remember: with some inflammatory diseases, the elbow joint cannot be heated.

Before carrying out such procedures, you need to consult a doctor.

Often severe pain causes a dangerous disease arthrosis, which over time can destroy the joint and bone. With arthrosis, severe pain in the elbow joint can also be treated with folk remedies: mainly compresses and rubbing.

A recipe based on chalk or eggshells or fermented milk products is considered effective. For example, you can crush ordinary chalk to a powder and pour it into sour milk. With this composition, you need to spread the elbow, wrap it with a material that does not allow moisture to pass through the material and leave the bandage for several hours.

A compress of cabbage juice will also help. Squeeze the juice from a fresh head of cabbage, soak a woolen cloth with it and tie it with a sore elbow. Also leave for a few hours.

Often pain is caused by another disease - arthritis, for the treatment of which you also need to consult a doctor, and use homemade recipes as an additional therapy.

In this case, traditional medicine experts advise doing rubbing with radish juice. 300 ml of vegetable juice should be mixed with a glass of honey, 100 ml of vodka and a teaspoon of salt. Mix the product well and regularly rub the joint with them.

What to do if the elbow joint hurts? Folk remedies for arthritis are also those that are taken orally. 10 grams of a dry primrose plant should be poured with a glass of boiling water and insisted for half an hour. Drink the resulting tincture three times in one day.

If the elbow joint hurts with bursitis, how to treat at home? A compress with a decoction of St. John's wort will help get rid of mild pain. It is noteworthy that such a tool can be used both externally and consumed internally.

Half a glass of decoction three times a day will help eliminate the symptoms of the disease. To relieve pain, you can make potato compresses.

The vegetable must be rubbed on a grater and the resulting mass should be applied directly to the elbow.

If the elbow hurts when bending, there can be many reasons, so the first thing to do is consult a doctor.

The elbow joint is covered with a synovial membrane and consists of three types of bones (ulna, radius and shoulder), the simple joints of which are interconnected by a common articular bag. It is fixed by ligaments, the functions of which are to organize the correct direction of the elbow.

The range of possible movements of the elbow joint is increased due to the combination of bone joints (humoulnar, humeroradial and proximal radioulnar), which differ in functionality and structure.

Near this joint are various anatomical connections:

muscle tissues;

nerve trunks;

tendons;

vessels, etc.

The cause of pain can be a banal fall, during which a person gets a bruise of the elbow joint. This type of injury often results in serious illnesses(such as a broken or cracked bone), as this joint is very sensitive to any physical or mechanical impact.

The reasons for the development of pain in the elbow joint include the following:

inflammatory processes caused serious illnesses(arthritis, gout, osteochondrosis, etc.);

tendon rupture;

dislocation of the elbow joint;

lifting weights, against the background of which overload occurs, etc.

The elbow joint is an extremely complex element of the musculoskeletal system. It is formed by three bones and is connected by a common tissue capsule.

In this area, various tendons and muscles are attached, which ensures the work of the entire arm. The neurovascular bundle is also located here. Therefore, the causes of pain in this area can be a lot.

Common causes of pain include:

• Bone injury (contusion, fracture, inflammation)
• Irritation of nervous tissue
• Damage to blood vessels
• Pathology of the capsule covering the joint
• Tendon inflammation
• Joint problems (dislocation, damage, hemorrhage, etc.)

An important nuance of the elbow joint is that its elements are weakly covered by muscles. Therefore, a slight bruise can lead to the above problems. Sometimes the pain can appear after a while, so they are rarely associated with a previously received injury.

Pain in the elbow joint of the right or left hand is not considered a rare pathology and does not depend on age. Rather, the main factor provoking its development is trauma or professional activity. This joint experiences daily motor loads (flexion-extension), is influenced by various burdens that a person carries.

The structure of the elbow joint

So, his anatomy is not so simple. The left or right elbow includes several joints: humeroradial, humeroulnar, proximal radioulnar. Together they create a complex mechanism.

Muscles provide flexion and extension of the elbow joint. They are attached to the joint with tendons. 4 ligaments serve to fix the joint bag. The composition of this "mechanism" includes blood vessels that provide inflow and outflow of blood, as well as The lymph nodes. Also in the elbow there is a network of nerves, with the help of which its innervation is carried out.

Hygroma of the elbow joint is a tumor-like formation located on the lateral surface of the shoulder or forearm, in the region of the elbow joint. Outwardly, the formation looks like a bump or growth with a diameter of 1 to 5 cm, hard to the touch.

The appearance can cause inconvenience when moving the hands, limit mobility in the joints, cause pain and aesthetic discomfort. Hygroma of the elbow joint is the most common localization of the process and accounts for about 30% of all hygromas.

The disease itself is not dangerous, however, with a long course and an increase in size, it can suppurate and cause inflammation of the elbow joint and articular bag.

Classification of degrees of osteoarthritis

The course of the disease develops gradually. Three main stages of development are distinguished, having different symptoms and, of course, requiring different ways treatment.

First degree

Small painful sensations, slight discomfort of the elbow - all this is a sign of the onset of the disease. The pain becomes more noticeable and stronger with physical exertion on the arm. There are practically no external signs - the joint seems healthy, small changes can be seen on x-ray examination.

Checking the likelihood of developing an ailment is quite simple. A characteristic sign will be that it is difficult to bend the arm at the elbow or bring it behind the back. If these actions require some effort, you should immediately contact medical specialists. The disease in the first stage is the easiest to treat, preventing unpleasant consequences.

Second degree

Obvious symptoms begin to disturb the sick person, but not always a person is in a hurry to seek help. Application folk recipes may indeed bring temporary relief, but cannot cure the disease.

The pain becomes permanent, the hand hurts often and severely. Pain is present when calm state hands. When performing actions for flexion and extension, a dry crunch is heard. The function of the joint is seriously impaired. It is difficult to exercise and carry even small weights. This changes the usual daily routine of a person, ordinary movements require more concentration.

The main symptom of bursitis is a periarticular tumor, accompanied, in addition to pain, by a dysfunction of the limb. The location of the disease is superficially determined visually and independently, based on the detection of a well-moving, as well as hot to the touch, tumor. Distinguish between acute bursitis of the elbow joint and chronic or recurrent bursitis.

Let's look at acute elbow bursitis. The disease begins with severe pain, which only intensifies during movements.

A very painful point will always be present above the inflamed joint, and the pain itself may radiate to the neck or spread down the arm. At the site of inflammation, there is not only severe swelling, but also redness.

In particular, the diameter of the edema can be from 8 to 10 cm. Due to the course of the inflammatory process, an increased body temperature is always recorded in the range of 37 or 37.5 degrees.

The disease manifests itself in the form of a dense formation with movable skin at the point of focus. The functionality of the limb is not impaired. The disease in this form is accompanied, in most cases, by calcium deposits.

Symptoms and types

The disease proceeds and is expressed in different ways, deforming arthrosis is one of the varieties of the form. Deformation occurs slowly, the progress of the disease is almost imperceptible. It can even hit the knee. Still, deforming arthrosis affects regularly loaded joints.

The features of arthrosis of the elbow joint include insignificant manifestations of symptoms at the initial stage of the pathology. As the disease progresses, the person experiences weakness.

If the patient follows his feelings, then arthrosis can be diagnosed on early stage after some research.

Diagnosis of elbow arthrosis

The appearance of pain in the elbow joint should alert the person. Pain may be a characteristic symptom various diseases, which can be identified by a highly qualified specialist after serious diagnostic measures.

If the patient does not know who to turn to for help, he can go to a medical institution to his local doctor, who, after an examination, will redirect him to a narrow-profile specialist:

rheumatologist (reveals various rheumatic lesions);

traumatologist (deals with injuries, fractures, sprains, dislocations, bruises);

neurologist (treats various nervous conditions, muscle lesions and other diseases nervous system).

The patient's appointment begins with a personal examination (the doctor necessarily palpates the area of ​​the elbow joint), after which the specialist begins to collect an anamnesis of the disease.

Before making a diagnosis, the patient is assigned an additional hardware examination:

ultrasound examination of the elbow joints;

• CT scan;

  arthroscopy;

  magnetic resonance imaging, etc.

Without fail, the patient is sent to the laboratory, where he will have to pass the following tests:

clinical analysis blood;

general urine analysis;

blood chemistry.

Diagnosis of pain in the elbow joint is an important stage of treatment that allows you to identify the problem. It is difficult to do this on your own, while a high diagnostic error remains. Therefore, it is worth checking medical institution.

Depending on the obvious causes of pain, you should refer to:

• Rheumatologist (for rheumatic injuries)
• Neurologist (diseases and lesions of the nervous system)
• Traumatologist (trauma)

Each of these specialists will determine the approximate cause of the pain by diagnosing according to their specialty (or by referring the patient to another doctor).

Among the available hardware tools for determining the cause of pain, doctors can use:

• x-ray
• Computed tomography
• Arthroscopy
• Ultrasonography joint
• magnetic resonance imaging

However, other diagnostic methods may be used, depending on the particular situation.

If the cause lies in diseases or disorders in the body, then the patient is prescribed clinical and biochemical blood tests, as well as a urine test. Their results will reveal common diseases that lead to joint damage.

If necessary, the patient is assigned a puncture to sample tissue from the affected area. This will determine the presence of cartilage degenerative changes and select the optimal treatment method.

Various diagnostic methods are used to diagnose joint pain. It includes both a routine examination and a study of the problem through a hardware examination. For this, X-rays, computed and magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, and arthroscopy are used. In some cases, a blood test, urine test, as well as a puncture is taken.

Treatment with folk remedies

The elbow joint is perhaps one of the most complex joints. It is he who provides a wide range of movements of the entire forearm. Elbow joints are superficial, therefore, they are most often subject to various injuries, which can be divided into two types: inflammatory diseases and injuries.

Injuries include blows, dislocations, sprains, torn ligaments, fractures, etc.

Before starting the treatment of the elbow joint, it is necessary to find out exactly the cause that caused the restriction of joint mobility and led to pain.

In folk medicine, there are many examples of successful treatment of the elbow joint using popular recipes that do not harm the body and are not addictive. Another important point is that you can prepare the product yourself, spending a minimum of money and time.

Treatment of epicondylitis with folk remedies

Treatment of bursitis of the elbow joint pursues, first of all, the complete elimination and removal of pain, as well as the inflammatory process. Remember, at home, both to treat and cure this disease is impossible.

This cannot be done even if you use proven folk remedies. We do not claim that they are ineffective, however, treatment should only take place under the supervision of an experienced physician.

Depending on the form of the disease, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate treatment. At the initial stage, it will be necessary to provide the diseased joint with absolute rest. For this purpose, a tight fixing bandage is applied to it, and a decrease in the intensity of inflammation of the elbow joint is achieved by applying warm compresses to the area of ​​the synovial bag.

However, these steps do not end the treatment. Methods are used such as:

• drug treatment;
• physiotherapy;
• surgical intervention.

Medical treatment

In the case of the course of the disease in an acute or chronic form, anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed, such as Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Voltaren. In parallel, treatment antibacterial drugs or antibiotics. In this case, those drugs are prescribed that pathogens are sensitive to.

Special ointments are also used. Such therapy is very often prescribed as an additional one. Especially intensively used are ointments that have an excellent warming effect.

Physiotherapy

Despite the type of disease, swelling and pain syndromes are removed through the use of physiotherapy. It uses heat, cold, ultrasound and UHF.

In order to prevent the disease in any of its forms, doctors recommend at home, immediately after injury to the elbow, apply cold to it. In the case of the development of the disease, it is necessary to use a thermal effect on the affected area.

Surgical intervention

It is resorted to only in case of purulent inflammation of the synovial bag or in the chronic form of the disease.

In relation to this disease, not only drug treatment is practiced. In some cases, bursitis can be cured with folk remedies, but only with the permission of the attending physician.

You can treat this disease using the following recipe: two tablespoons of honey and one aloe juice are mixed until a homogeneous mass is formed and applied to a gauze bandage, which, in turn, is applied to the inflamed area, after which it is wrapped in cellophane, and then with a bandage - with the aim fixation. This compress lasts for two hours.

When purulent form diseases will have to be treated differently. In this case, you will need 1 tbsp. l. household chopped soap and grated onion. Everything is mixed, after which it is applied to gauze, which is applied to the damaged area and fixed with a wound woolen scarf or scarf.

IN mild form the disease is treatable with folk remedies, but in most cases the intervention of modern medicine is necessary.

Inflammation of the elbow joint is a problem that needs to be addressed immediately. This disease affects people age category. But especially older people suffer from it.

The disease of the elbow joint is accompanied by discomfort. The primary symptom is a painful swelling, swelling near the joint.

The tumor can be easily detected, as it is well palpable. Usually, cartilage tissue or periarticular areas become inflamed.

This may be the result of previous injuries, untreated injuries, too much load on the elbow, excessive sports, hypothermia, various respiratory viral infections, hereditary predisposition.

It is impossible to completely restore the destroyed joint area in a natural way. Therefore, treatment is aimed at preventing further progression of the disease.

In advanced situations, surgical intervention is used, in which the worn joint is replaced with an artificial prosthesis.

At the initial stage of the development of the destructive process, it is possible to treat elbow arthrosis at home with folk remedies. However, first you need to consult a doctor who will confirm or refute the feasibility of self-treatment and exclude the presence of a serious form of the disease in which alternative therapy is ineffective.

For osteoarthritis of the elbow, it is useful to take:

• herbal preparations;
• make compresses;
• use ointments;
• do rubbing.

In addition, there are courses when the treatment of the disease at home is carried out using special devices. But in this case, it is important to discuss this with your doctor so as not to aggravate the progression of the disease.

You can treat the disease at home, but you need to take medications prescribed by a doctor. The intensity of therapy depends on the degree of progression, the dynamics of the spread of the disease and the age of the patient.

But in many cases, traditional medicine only worsens the patient's condition, so treatment with folk remedies must be agreed with the doctor. From the variety of remedies that are used to eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of arthrosis of the elbow joint, one can single out home physiotherapy or baths with turpentine and salt, and performing a gentle massage.

In addition, the treatment of arthrosis of the elbow joint involves the use of compresses that have a diverse composition. Excellent results can be obtained by using cabbage juice or vegetable leaves. For this purpose, gauze is wetted in cabbage liquid and applied to the problem area overnight.

Moreover, with such treatment, it is important that the hand is at rest not only at night, but also during the day. You can also apply oatmeal compresses to the sore joint, which must first be poured with boiling water.

In addition, with arthrosis, it is useful to make compresses from

In the treatment of inflammation of the elbow joint, folk remedies are sometimes more effective than in the use of medicines. But they still need to be agreed with the doctor, since the destructive processes in the connective tissues are serious pathology, which is not treated on its own.

To eliminate pain, swelling and pathological processes, vegetable, fruit compresses, as well as medicines based on pharmaceutical preparations and dry herbs are used. Some ingredients such as propolis and honey are also effective.

For bursitis, arthritis and arthrosis, the same compresses and other folk remedies are often used, but each prescription should still be agreed with the doctor.

Remedies for elbow bursitis

As you know, the elbow joint is perhaps the most complex in the human body. It consists of three bones converging in one place, entangled with various muscles. As a result, this joint is very susceptible to various types of damage, which are divided into 2 types: trauma and inflammation.

Injuries include sprains. dislocations, blows, fractures. ligament breaks, etc.

Inflammatory diseases of the elbow joint include: arthritis. arthrosis, epicondylitis, bursitis. gout, osteochondrosis.

Before you start treating the elbow joint with folk remedies, it is advisable to know for sure the cause that led to the pain and limited mobility of this joint.

Treatment of the elbow joint at home

ethnoscience has accumulated many effective and, most importantly, safe recipes for healing joints, which have been proving their effectiveness for many centuries.

Alternative treatment of the elbow joint at home comes down mainly to rubbing with ointments and infusions, applying compresses, baths and taking various decoctions or tinctures inside.

In alternative medicine, many ways have accumulated to get rid of excruciating pain in the elbows. Proper Treatment elbow joint folk remedies helps to reduce pain, restore working capacity and improve the quality of life.

It should be remembered that home remedies do not work immediately. To get a positive result, you will have to be patient and regularly perform procedures, strictly following the methods and recipes of healers.

Yogurt and eggshell relieve pain

To reduce pain in the elbow joint with folk remedies, you need to know its cause. If the cause of elbow pain is not identified or is the result of overloading the joint with exercise or hard work, you can try the following recipe.

Sour milk or curdled milk should be mixed with egg shells. For a compress on the elbow area, you need half a glass of ingredients. Dry the shell beforehand and remove the film from it. Then grind in a mortar or coffee grinder. Mix the shell powder with sour milk or curdled milk until the consistency of sour cream is obtained.

Then spread the mixture evenly on a gauze or handkerchief and apply to the sore elbow. Wrap with polyethylene and wrap on top with a warm scarf or a large terry towel. To obtain the result, it is desirable to do such compresses for five days. Then take a five day break. Repeat course as needed.

To solve such problems, folk remedies for pain in the elbow joint are actively practiced. For a long time, folk remedies have been able to cope with pain in the joints. Although this is only a temporary remedy, traditional medicine effectively relieves this problem for the period of treatment.

The following options are optimal for treating elbow pain:

• Therapeutic warming ointment. Allows you to get rid of pain for a course of treatment. To prepare it, you need 50 grams of camphor, 50 milliliters of alcohol (70%), 3 tablespoons of dry mustard, and protein from two eggs. Mix the ointment thoroughly and apply on the elbow, then wrap it with a cloth. The course lasts 5 repetitions.
• Baths on the broth. A handful of buttercup flowers must be poured with boiling water (1 cup) for 5-6 hours, then filter the resulting broth. Dilute the decoction with hot water up to 5 liters, then place the elbow in the resulting bath. Warm up 1 hour. The course of treatment takes 10 days.

If the bath is prepared on pine components, then only fresh cones and needles should be used. Dry ingredients are not as effective as fresh ones.

Compresses can be used the following substances:

• white and red clay
• Celandine juice (diluted)
• Kalanchoe tincture
• Horse sorrel tincture

However, there are many other warming components that are suitable for the treatment of pain in the elbow joint.

Traditional medicine contains a lot of substances and techniques to get rid of joint pain. Some of them have a temporary effect, and some help on long term. But if the pain does not disappear, then the cause may be in pathological processes. In this case, only a doctor can help.

Our hands are tools that we use daily, hourly, every minute. No wonder people at all times used to say: “If there were hands, but it can be done”, or, “It is not the needle that sews, but the hands.” In these words lies the wisdom of the people. Hands are indefatigable hard workers, and it seems to us that it will always be so.

Every person experienced pain in the elbow joint. But it happens that such pain is temporary or disturbs constantly.

What to do when the elbow hurts in the joint? The first step is to determine the cause of the pathology in a timely manner.

If it was taken late treatment, then the process will be chronic, which will lead to disruption of the functioning of the elbow joint.

Medication treatment

There are several types of medications, each of which has its own effect.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

This group drugs are used to eliminate pain syndrome of various origins. NPS provide a quick and effective result, eliminate the inflammatory process and pain.

Physical stress that a person experiences often causes pathologies of a different nature. Soreness in the elbow joint is a signal of possible health problems. Injuries, pinched nerve cause many diseases that affect the elbow joint. Before starting treatment, it is important to determine which disease caused the pain.

Lateral epicondylitis of the elbow or "tennis elbow" is an inflammation of the muscles and tendons where they attach to the bones in the elbow joint.

The causes of the disease can be: excessively hard work, microtrauma, sometimes it develops against the background of cervical osteochondrosis.

Relief of the patient from pain in the elbow joint

Due to the fact that when contacting any of the specialists (traumatologist, rheumatologist or neurologist), patients experience severe pain, they are primarily prescribed:

painkillers;

corticosteroids;

modifiers and sleeping pills.

For first aid, tablet medicines such as Nalgesin, etc. are often used. Some patients do not tolerate oral medications, so they are prescribed ointments and gels that relieve pain well. Each drug should be prescribed by a doctor, since any self-medication can lead to serious consequences.

After the patient has been relieved of the pain syndrome, the specialist begins to treat the disease, which was diagnosed during a comprehensive examination. In the treatment of diseases in which inflammation of the joints occurs, the doctor prescribes anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, diclofenac, etc. Since all modern medicines have both positive and negative effects, the doctor prescribes them individually, taking into account all the characteristics of the patient's body.

In the case when the patient has a number of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the attending physician replaces tablet preparations with injections. Most often, patients are given injections with hyaluronic acid, which is a substance produced healthy joints.

Specialists also prescribe injections to their patients, for which corticosteroid drugs are used, as well as anesthetics. A short course of such treatment effectively relieves even a very strong pain syndrome.

A great effect in the treatment of diseases of the elbow joint is achieved after a course of physiotherapy procedures.

Depending on the type of disease and its degree of development, patients may be prescribed:

magnetotherapy;

electrophoresis;

paraffin applications;

barotherapy;

mud wraps;

ozokerite, etc.

In most cases, patients are prescribed a course of physiotherapy procedures, which can consist of at least 10 sessions. Sometimes physiotherapists develop individual programs for patients, taking into account their general state and tolerability of certain drugs.

A good effect can be achieved by using therapeutic heat and cold, as well as massage. The use of cold and hot compresses will restore the mobility of the elbow joint, as well as save the patient from pain.

The correct application of heat and cold will have a positive effect on the elbow joint and:

relieve puffiness;

reduce the inflammatory process;

relax muscles;

increase blood circulation, etc.

When undergoing medical therapy, each patient should regularly exercise the elbow joint. Correctly done exercises will gradually increase the strength of the joint and its flexibility.

Some pathologies are characterized by a multifactorial nature ( simultaneous influence of several factors) origin ( e.g. tumor, autoimmune arthritis, synovial chondromatosis, etc.). There are pathologies of the elbow region that occur when metabolic processes inside the body are disturbed and also provoke pain in the elbow, for example, pyrophosphate arthropathy, synovitis.

The presence of a genetic predisposition ( genetic factor) to some diseases makes a person vulnerable to such pathologies as elbow tumors, intermittent hydrarthrosis of the elbow joint, osteoarthritis.

Prolonged physical activity ( traumatic factor) of the elbow joint lead to malnutrition of the articular cartilage, the development of inflammatory processes in it and the appearance of osteoarthritis, bursitis, synovitis, arthritis, intermittent hydrarthrosis.

There are the following main reasons that can cause pain in the elbow:

• synovitis;
• sprain of the elbow ligaments;
• fracture of the elbow bones;
• dislocation of the elbow joint;
• arthritis of the elbow joint;
• osteoarthritis of the elbow joint;
• osteomyelitis of the elbow bones;
• synovial chondromatosis of the elbow joint;
• tumors of the elbow joint;
• intermittent hydrarthrosis of the elbow joint;
• pyrophosphate arthropathy of the elbow joint;
• bruise of the elbow joint;
• ulnar bursitis;
• epicondylitis.

Diagnosing causes of elbow pain

Methods for diagnosing the causes of pain in the elbow

Which doctor should I contact if my elbow hurts?

Specialized physicians include the following types of specialists:

• Oncologist. An oncologist specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of elbow tumors.
• Neurologist. A neurologist treats neurological diseases that are associated with damage to the nerves passing through the elbow area.
• Orthopedist. An orthopedist deals with the correction of various deformities of the elbow joint, which sometimes occur with osteoarthritis, arthritis, tumors, etc.
• Rheumatologist. A rheumatologist is a specialist who deals with the recognition and treatment of various inflammatory diseases of the elbow.
• Traumatologist. This doctor is engaged in the diagnosis and treatment of those ailments that are observed after various injuries ( fracture of the elbow bones, dislocation of the elbow joint, sprain, etc.).

Synovitis

Methods for diagnosing synovitis of the elbow joint

There are the following main types of synovitis of the elbow joint:

• infectious synovitis. This type of synovitis appears due to damage to the synovial membrane by various microbes that have penetrated the elbow joint.
• autoimmune synovitis. Autoimmune synovitis occurs when the immune system damages the cells of the synovial membrane of the elbow charter.
• Traumatic synovitis. Such synovitis appears with injuries of the elbow region and is often associated with damage to other anatomical structures of the elbow.
• allergic synovitis. Allergic synovitis is the result of an overreaction of the body to an allergen. It occurs as a complication of allergic reactions. Its pathogenetic mechanism ( development mechanism) is based on autoimmune reactions.
• Dysmetabolic synovitis. Occurs in diseases associated with metabolic disorders ( gout, pseudogout, diabetes, etc.).
• endocrine synovitis. This synovitis occurs as a complication of diseases of various endocrine glands ( thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, etc.).
• genetic synovitis. Genetic synovitis is caused by defects in the genetic makeup of the synovial cells. Such defects cause a violation of the development of the inner layer of the joint capsule and contribute to the appearance of its various structural anomalies.

Is home treatment possible?

How is synovitis treated at home?

Elbow sprain

Usually, sprains of the elbow ligaments occur with sports injuries that occur during sports training, games. Sometimes a severe injury to the elbow joint can be accompanied by a complete rupture of one or more ligaments. Rupture of the ligamentous apparatus of the elbow is often associated with fractures or dislocations of its bones.

The main symptoms of an elbow sprain are pain and swelling of the tissues at the site of the damaged ligament. With strong sprains, also at the site of the lesion, you can find a blue-violet area - a hematoma ( bruise), which is an external manifestation of local subcutaneous bleeding.

The pain sensations that appear with this pathology are not as strong as with fractures or dislocations, they are aggravated by palpation or attempts to carry out any movement in the elbow joint. Deformation of the elbow joint during sprains is not observed, and active and passive movements in it, as a rule, are partially impaired.

What structures are damaged?

Which doctor should I contact?

Elbow Sprain Diagnosis

The following methods are used to diagnose an elbow sprain:

• Anamnesis. Taking an anamnesis helps the attending physician to establish the cause that led to the appearance of an elbow sprain, to find out the patient's complaints, and to determine the presence of concomitant additional diseases.
• Visual inspection. An external examination is necessary to identify the localization of the pain syndrome, assess the functioning of the elbow joint and the presence of tissue damage both in the joint itself and beyond.
• Radiography. The implementation of radiography is necessary to exclude possible fractures or subluxations of the bones of the elbow joint.

There are the following types of elbow sprains:

• lateral stretching ( collateral) ulnar ligament;
• lateral stretching ( collateral) radial ligament;
• stretching of the annular ligament of the elbow;
• simultaneous stretching of several ligaments of the elbow.

Is it possible to treat an elbow sprain at home?

How is an elbow sprain treated at home?

There are the following principles for the treatment of elbow sprains:

• Taking anti-inflammatory drugs. Anti-inflammatory drugs are used to reduce pain, reduce tissue swelling and eliminate inflammatory processes. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are most often prescribed for this purpose ( ibuprofen, aspirin, etc.). They are used for severe pain in the elbow and severe swelling.
• Immobilization ( immobilization) of the elbow joint. Immobilization of the elbow joint is achieved by bandaging it with a special elastic bandage. It is also recommended to make a bandage or scarf over the shoulder and wear it for several days.
• Decrease in active movements in the affected joint. The patient needs to carry out various movements in the elbow joint as little as possible and provide him with complete rest. The less the patient uses this joint, the faster the affected ligaments will heal, and the sooner the pain and discomfort in the affected area will pass.
• Applying cold to the affected elbow. On the first day, when the patient received an elbow sprain, you can use cold as a means to relieve tissue edema. To do this, put something cold ( e.g. ice pack) at the site of injury.

Elbow fracture

A fracture of the bones of the elbow is a pathology, which is characterized by the appearance of pain in the area of ​​the elbow joint, often aggravated by pressure. The damaged joint is often swollen, bluish subcutaneous bleeding is observed near it, and the patient cannot perform active movements in the joint. Bone processes formed during a fracture can sometimes be seen on the surface of the skin. In such cases, the fracture is accompanied by the appearance of external bleeding and is called open.

What structures are damaged?

Which doctor should I contact?

Diagnosis of a fracture of the elbow bones

To diagnose a fracture of the elbow bones, the following studies are used:

• Anamnesis. Upon receipt of the anamnesis data, specific signs of a fracture of the bones of the ulnar zone are established. Particular attention is paid to the cause of pain and the time after which they occurred.
• Visual inspection. An external examination reveals the presence of a hematoma or external bleeding near the elbow. Also, this study reveals swelling and soreness in the elbow joint.
• They help to establish the localization and type of fracture of the elbow bones, assess its severity, the presence of possible complications.

The main types of fractures of the elbow bones

Is it possible to treat an elbow fracture at home?

In case of fractures with displacement of broken sections of one or more bones, their surgical reconstruction is used, sequentially connecting the fragments and restoring the primary anatomical structure of the bones of the elbow joint.

Thus, treating an elbow fracture at home is an almost impossible task.

Elbow dislocation

The main reasons for the appearance of a dislocation of the elbow joint are considered to be its traumatic injury, which often occurs when falling on an outstretched arm at the elbow or with direct blows ( or again falls) on the already bent elbow joint.

Dislocation of the elbow joint is accompanied by severe pain that occurs immediately after the injury and the inability to independently bend or straighten the arm at the elbow. In such patients, as a rule, an anatomical deformity of the elbow joint is noticeable, it is swollen, painful. With passive movements in the affected joint, there is a springy limitation, in which the reverse return of the arm occurs when you try to bend or unbend it in it ( depending on the type of dislocation).

What structures are damaged?

Which doctor should I contact?

Diagnosis of dislocation of the elbow joint

There are the following diagnostic methods used to detect dislocation of the elbow joint:

• Anamnesis. During the collection of an anamnesis, the doctor takes into account the symptoms characteristic of a dislocation of the elbow joint ( pain, limited mobility of the joint, swelling, etc.), the presence of a mechanical injury that caused this pathology.
• Visual inspection. An external examination includes an examination of the outer integument of the elbow joint area and the determination of signs specific to dislocation ( anatomical deformity of the joint, its swelling, pain) detected by palpation. External examination allows you to suspect a specific type of dislocation of the elbow.
• Radiography. Radiography is a key method for diagnosing dislocation of the elbow joint, helping to confirm the presence of this disease. The results of this study reliably indicate the presence of a dislocation and its variety. Also, the use of x-rays can help identify additional pathologies ( e.g. joint fractures), which can be observed with a dislocation of the elbow joint.
• Contrasting of the joint cavity. Through the introduction of a contrast agent into the joint cavity and its subsequent ( joint) X-ray can reveal damage to the capsule and ligaments of the joint.

There are the following types of dislocations of the elbow joint:

• Anterior dislocation. Anterior dislocation of the elbow joint occurs when the elbow was in a bent state at the time of its injury. With such a dislocation, the distal ( lower) part of the humerus is in front of the proximal ( top) areas of the ulna and radius, which are displaced posteriorly. This displacement creates a visual illusion of shortening of the forearm and lengthening of the shoulder section of the arm.
• Posterior dislocation. This dislocation occurs when you fall on an arm extended at the elbow joint. It is accompanied by a posterior displacement of the humerus in relation to the radius and ulna. The forearm in this case turns out to be slightly longer than the norm, and the shoulder part of the arm, on the contrary, is slightly shorter.
• Lateral ( outer side) dislocation. With lateral dislocation of the elbow joint, there is a displacement of the bones of the forearm to the outer side of the humerus. Thus, one or both bones of the forearm are on the right side of the humerus. The right forearm and hand with this dislocation are displaced to the left side.
• Medial ( inner side) dislocation. This dislocation of the elbow as well as lateral dislocation) causes expansion of the joint in the transverse plane. The forearm and hand with this dislocation are displaced in right side, and the humerus is located closer to the body, that is, it is shifted to the left.
• Divergent dislocation. Divergent dislocation is the separation of the radius and ulna at the elbow joint and their separation from each other.

Is home treatment possible?

Arthritis of the elbow joint

The inflammatory process in arthritis is the root cause of the onset of pain, in contrast to arthrosis of the elbow joint, in which developmental disorders are observed first. cartilage tissue, well, and then the occurrence of inflammation in it and, accordingly, in the joint itself.

The cause of arthritis can be infection, autoimmune damage, intoxication, allergic reactions, trauma, etc.

What structures are damaged?

Which doctor should I contact?

Diagnosis of arthritis of the elbow joint

Methods for diagnosing arthritis

There are the following main types of arthritis of the elbow joint:

• rheumatoid arthritis elbow joint;
• psoriatic arthritis of the elbow joint;
• infectious arthritis of the elbow joint;
• reactive arthritis of the elbow.

Diagnostic criteria that may indicate the presence of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis of the elbow joint are the involvement of several joints at the same time ( including the elbow), their morning stiffness, the presence of autoimmune antibodies in the patient's blood ( rheumatoid factor, antinuclear, antiphyllaggrin antibodies, etc.), damage to the articular cartilage of the elbow joint and the presence of rheumatoid nodules. The latter are round, painless structures that are located under the skin near the affected joint.

Psoriatic arthritis of the elbow
Arthritis of the elbow joint may appear in patients suffering from psoriasis. Psoriasis is a non-contagious chronic disease characterized by red patches on the skin that often flake and tend to coalesce.

Most often in psoriasis there is an associated lesion of the elbow and other joints ( especially the fingers), and there is also an association between the appearance of skin rashes typical of psoriasis and joint damage.
With psoriatic arthritis of the elbow joint, antibodies to the cells of the epidermis can be detected in the blood of patients, and with x-rays of the elbow joint, ulceration of its articular surfaces and their deformation.

Infectious arthritis of the elbow
The cause of infectious arthritis of the elbow joint is various microorganisms that accidentally got into its cavity and caused damage to its structures. This type of arthritis can be caused by bacteria ( mycobacterium tuberculosis, salmonella, staphylococcus, streptococcus, E. coli, etc.), viruses ( hepatitis B and C viruses, parvoviruses, etc.), worms.

Infectious arthritis of the elbow is secondary manifestation underlying disease and often occurs as a result of drift pathogenic bacteria into this joint. This arthritis is often accompanied by fever, pain in the area of ​​the affected joint, pathological accumulation of fluid, pus in the joint cavity, dysfunction of the joint, and other symptoms that are specific to the underlying pathology.

Diagnosis of infectious arthritis of the elbow joint is based on laboratory analysis of the pathological fluid obtained by puncture of the affected joint by determining pathogenic microbes in it. Also, with such arthritis, a complete blood count is often prescribed ( detection of an increase in the number of leukocytes) and immunological study ( to detect microbial particles circulating in the blood).

Reactive arthritis of the elbow
Sometimes with certain infections ( and in particular in intestinal infections or genitourinary infections) or after recovery from them, reactive arthritis of the elbow joint may occur, which is a consequence of the autoimmune aggression of the body in relation to intra-articular structures. Such aggression appears as a result of immunological disorders and the acceptance by the body's immune system of the body's articular tissues as foreign particles of microbes. Thus, the arthritis of the elbow joint that occurs in this case is non-purulent and is not caused by pathogenic bacteria entering the joint cavity.

X-ray examination in reactive arthritis of the elbow joint reveals swelling of the articular and periarticular tissues, synovitis ( ), ulceration of articular cartilage, periostitis ( inflammation of the periosteum), osteoporosis ( bone demineralization). Ultrasound examination reveals the presence of pathological fluid in the joint cavity.

Laboratory examination of the articular effusion, obtained by puncture of the elbow joint, does not reveal signs of the presence of pathogenic bacteria, pus. Antibodies are often detected in the blood of patients with reactive arthritis of the elbow ( protective immune molecules) to those microbes that are ( or have been in the past) the cause of enteritis ( inflammation of the small intestine), colitis ( inflammation of the large intestine), as well as urethritis ( inflammation of the urethra).

Is home treatment possible?

How is elbow arthritis treated at home?

The doctor's choice of medical treatment for arthritis of the elbow joint depends on the cause that caused it, or rather on the type of arthritis itself.

Drug treatment of various types of arthritis of the elbow joint

Osteoarthritis of the elbow joint

Osteoarthritis is a chronic pathology, which is accompanied by a gradual deformation of the entire elbow joint. The deforming factor is not only a constant mechanical load, but also inflammatory processes that appear as a result of the destruction of cells and intercellular substance during the destruction of cartilage tissue.

Sometimes pain in this disease is associated with muscle spasm of the muscles located near the damaged joint. Inflammation in osteoarthritis is secondary, in contrast to arthritis of the elbow joint, in which inflammatory processes occur immediately and are the main cause of damage to articular structures.

Osteoarthritis of the elbow joint in the initial stages of the development of the disease is characterized by the appearance of pain and swelling in the joint and its surrounding tissues. Pain and swelling that occur in such patients, as a rule, are observed after prolonged physical exertion of the elbow, they are mild to moderate in nature and decrease with rest. Then, as the pathology progresses, the pains become even more intense, occur much more often, even with slight movements in the elbow joint, slowly subside during rest or do not go away at all and torment the patient at night.

In more late stages of the disease, there is a pronounced deformity of the elbow joint, limitation of articular movements, severe swelling of both the joint itself and the periarticular tissues. There is morning stiffness of the elbow movements, fast fatiguability muscles located near the joint, due to their gradual atrophy. This atrophy, together with deforming changes in the joint, leads to the appearance of subluxations in the elbow zone.

What structures are damaged?

As the destruction of the cartilaginous tissue of the elbow joint gradually begins to be involved in the inflammatory process and the subcartilaginous areas of the bones ( ulnar, radial, shoulder) that form the elbow joint. Over time, these areas also undergo deformation, pathological bone outgrowths appear in them - osteophytes.

Which doctor should I contact?

Diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the elbow joint

Methods for diagnosing osteoarthritis of the elbow joint

Is home treatment possible?

How is osteoarthritis of the elbow treated at home?

There are the following groups of drugs that are prescribed for the medical treatment of osteoarthritis:

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Examples of such drugs are voltaren, ketorolac, aertal, meloxicam, ibuprofen, etc. These drugs are used to reduce inflammation and relieve pain in the elbow joint.
• Analgesics. Analgesics ( painkillers) is prescribed for the relief of pain. The most common drugs in this group are zaldiar and tramadol.
• Muscle relaxants. If pain in the elbow is associated with muscle spasm, then in such cases, muscle relaxants are used that relax the muscles and reduce their tone. These drugs include mydocalm, baclofen, sirdalud, etc.
• Calcium channel blockers. This group of drugs is used to improve blood circulation in the bone tissue of the bones of the elbow joint. Examples of calcium channel blockers are venoruton, nikospan, troxevasin, etc.
• Chondroprotectors. Chondroprotectors are drugs that prevent the destruction of articular cartilage by regulating the activity of chondrocytes ( basic cartilage cells). The main drugs in this group are arthra, alflutop, teraflex, dona, structum, etc.

Osteomyelitis of the elbow bones

exogenous ( external) osteomyelitis appears after open injuries of the elbow joint, which were accompanied by damage to cartilage and bone tissue, the introduction of pathogenic bacteria from external environment in these tissues, as well as a violation of tissue blood supply. This form of osteomyelitis can often be observed after open fractures, gunshot wounds, cuts, and surgical operations. Exogenous osteomyelitis is characterized by the appearance of pain in the elbow joint, chills, headaches, weakness, fever and impaired joint movements.

Endogenous ( interior) osteomyelitis occurs when pathogenic bacteria enter the bones of the elbow joint through the blood vessels from other sources of infection present in the body. This often occurs with boils, mastitis ( breast inflammation), sore throat and other purulent diseases. Endogenous osteomyelitis is accompanied by the appearance of pain and swelling in the elbow joint, limitation of active movements in it, fever, headaches, weakness. This form of osteomyelitis is often associated with elbow arthritis.

What structures are damaged?

Which doctor should I contact?

Endogenous osteomyelitis is difficult to determine only on the basis of patient complaints, since it is mainly confirmed by radiation diagnostic methods ( radiography, computed tomography). Therefore, with the appearance of pain, swelling in the elbow joint and an increase in body temperature, it is necessary to consult a rheumatologist who can help the patient and determine what kind of pathology is bothering him. If the presence of osteomyelitis is confirmed, the rheumatologist should refer the patient for a consultation with a surgeon or traumatologist.

Diagnosis of osteomyelitis

In the diagnosis of osteomyelitis, the following main studies are used:

• Anamnesis. In the anamnesis, attention is paid to symptoms characteristic of osteomyelitis ( pain in the joint, its swelling, fever, dysfunction of the joint, etc.), as well as the events that contributed to their appearance ( injury, purulent diseases ).
• Visual inspection. With the outer cover, the elbow joint is examined and assessed for any open injuries. Palpation determines the place of pain and swelling. The degree of normal functioning of the elbow joint is also assessed.
• Radiography and computed tomography. These two methods make it possible to determine the location of the purulent focus in the bone tissue, assess its size, and detect the presence of damage to other tissue structures of the elbow joint.
• General blood analysis. A general blood test helps to identify the presence of a hidden focus ( source) infections in the body.

Is home treatment possible?

How is osteomyelitis treated at home?

There are the following medications used in the treatment of osteomyelitis:

• Antibiotics. Antibiotics are used to fight the infection that causes osteomyelitis.
• Immunomodulators. These funds are prescribed to normalize and stimulate the immune system of organisms, increase immunity.
• Detoxifying agents. Detoxification agents are able to remove toxic substances of microbes and decay products of bone tissue from the patient's body.
• Vitamins and minerals. The use of vitamins and minerals is aimed at increasing the immune resistance of the body against a harmful infection and accelerating its recovery.

Synovial chondromatosis of the elbow

The main reason for the development of synovial chondromatosis is considered a violation of metabolic ( exchange) processes in the elbow joint, against which the regulation of cell division of the cells of the synovial membrane is disturbed.

Specific symptoms of synovial chondromatosis of the elbow joint are pain in the elbow, swelling, impaired flexion or extension in the joint. Symptoms often occur during physical exertion or as the chondromic bodies themselves grow, as well as with an increase in their number.

What structures are damaged?

Which doctor should I contact?

Diagnosis of synovial chondromatosis of the elbow joint

The main methods for diagnosing synovial chondromatosis

There are the following forms of synovial chondromatosis:

• Benign single form. Means the presence of one benign chondromic body on the synovial membrane in the cavity of the elbow joint.
• Benign plural form. This form is noted in the presence of more than one chondromic body on the synovial membrane, which has a benign course.
• Benign osteomatosis. Benign osteomatosis is the development of a chondromic benign body from the bone tissue of the bones that form the elbow joint.
• Benign synovial chondromatosis of periarticular bags. In this case, the periarticular bags of the elbow joint are affected.
• malignant form. Malignant forms of synovial chondromatosis are observed during the degeneration of normal cells of chondromic bodies into tumor cells.
• Combined ( mixed) form. Combined forms occur with the simultaneous appearance of benign and malignant forms in the elbow joint, as well as the occurrence of synovial chondromatosis of various localization.

Is home treatment possible?

Tumors of the elbow joint

The dominant and, for the most part, the only early symptom of a tumor of the elbow joint is pain. At the initial stages of the disease, light, pulling pains predominate, which appear spontaneously at any time of the day. Pain sensations are progressive in nature and, over time, as the tumor grows, they become stronger and stronger. In the later stages of the disease, pain is difficult to stop with painkillers, often repeated during the day and often radiate ( give away) in the area of ​​​​the forearm or shoulder.

When the tumor reaches a large size, it begins to block the normal movements of the elbow joint and disrupt its physiological function. Large tumors are often very painful and very easy to feel on the surface of the skin, so it is not difficult for the attending physician to suspect their presence.

What structures are damaged?

The main types of tumors of the elbow joint

Which doctor should I contact?

Diagnosis of tumors of the elbow joint

Methods for diagnosing tumors of the elbow joint

Is home treatment possible?

Intermittent hydrarthrosis of the elbow joint

Intermittent hydrarthrosis is also characterized by the appearance of pressing and constricting pains in the elbow area, aggravated by any action in the elbow joint and often associated with an increase in the volume of the elbow joint due to the accumulation of a large amount of fluid in it. It should be remembered that the swelling of the joint is not associated with its direct inflammation, but is only a consequence of the stretching of the joint capsule under the action of pressure from the inside, which is exerted by the effusion accumulating in the elbow joint.

The last symptom of this disease, the occurrence of which is caused by and directly depends on the amount of effusion in the joint, is the limitation of active and passive movements in the elbow joint.

What structures are damaged?

Which doctor should I contact?

Diagnosis of intermittent hydrarthrosis

Methods for diagnosing intermittent hydrarthrosis

Is home treatment possible?

How is intermittent hydrarthrosis treated at home?

Pyrophosphate arthropathy of the elbow

In the clinical picture of pyrophosphate arthropathy, paroxysmal and chronic forms are distinguished. With a paroxysmal form, pain in the elbow joint occurs suddenly and increases during the day. The affected elbow, as a rule, with this form is enlarged, painful, hyperemic ( Red). Gradually, pain sensations weaken, disappearing completely after 1 to 2 weeks. Pain increases again after a certain period of time, and in the interictal period ( period between attacks) the patient has no pain. The paroxysmal form is also called pseudogout for its similarity ( By clinical symptoms ) with uric acid deposition disease in the joints ( gout), which is more likely to damage the joints of the legs.

The chronic form of pyrophosphate arthropathy is characterized by the appearance of mild or moderate aching and constant pain in the elbow joint, which eventually undergoes deformation, osteophytes are formed in it ( bone outgrowths), increasing pain during movements in the elbow. The elbow joint with pyrophosphate arthropathy is swollen and its function is partially or completely impaired.

What structures are damaged?

Over time, inside the elbow joint, a slow violation of the anatomical shape occurs, the articular surfaces that come into contact during the physical work of the joint, so inflammation, swelling and pain appear in them. It should be noted that sometimes an inflammatory effusion can occur in the joint cavity, which can also interfere with normal function and block some movement in the elbow joint.

Which doctor should I contact?

Diagnosis of pyrophosphate arthropathy

In the diagnosis of pyrophosphate arthropathy, the following main methods are used:

• Anamnesis. The collection of anamnestic information allows you to identify symptoms and signs specific to pyrophosphate arthropathy. Also, in the anamnesis, the doctor asks the patient about the presence of other metabolic diseases ( metabolic diseases), with which he can get sick and about the presence of relatives similar symptoms.
• Visual inspection. External examination reveals an increase in size and pain of the joint, often associated with various movements in the elbow. These movements are often limited either due to deformation of the elbow joint and the formation of osteophytes in its vicinity, or due to a severe pain syndrome.
• Radiography and computed tomography. These radiation diagnostic methods are aimed at detecting an increased content of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate salts both in articular structures and extra-articular formations ( muscles, ligaments, periarticular bags) surrounding the elbow joint. Also, these methods reveal the presence of fluid in the joint, expansion and thickening of the joint capsule, and an increase in the lumen of the joint space.
• Laboratory study of joint fluid. This study is necessary to detect crystals of calcium salts in the articular effusion.
• Arthroscopy. Arthroscopy of the elbow joint is needed to examine its articular cavity, exclude other pathologies, and also take a biopsy of the articular tissue for cytological examination, which, with pyrophosphate arthropathy, reveals a large number of calcium crystals deposited in it.
• Microbiological examination of joint fluid. Microbiological examination of the joint fluid is necessary to exclude the infectious nature of the inflammatory process in the elbow joint.

Is home treatment possible?

How is pyrophosphate arthropathy treated at home?

The main principles of the treatment of pyrophosphate arthropathy at home:

• correction of metabolic disorders ( If there are any);
• treatment of endocrine diseases if they are present in the patient);
• prescribing anti-inflammatory drugs for example, glucocorticosteroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs);
• prescribing anti-gout medications such as colchicine).

Elbow injury

Pain that occurs in the elbow, as well as its swelling, are directly related to inflammation of damaged tissues. The appearance of a bruise or bruising) is caused by interstitial internal bleeding, which developed after microruptures of the vessels that feed the tissues and structures of the elbow zone. Violation of the normal function of the elbow joint is caused, first of all, by inflammatory processes in the structures of the joint, which appeared immediately after the injury, and secondly, with hemarthrosis. Hemarthrosis is an accumulation of blood in the joint cavity, which appears in it as a result of trauma and damage to the articular capsule of the elbow joint.

What structures are damaged?

Which doctor should I contact?

Diagnosis of an elbow injury

There are the following main methods for diagnosing an elbow joint injury:

• Anamnesis. When collecting an anamnesis, it is possible to find out from the patient the circumstances of the injury, to suggest its severity, to determine the leading complaints, because of which the patient himself sought medical help.
• Visual inspection. An external examination on the patient's skin at the site of damage can reveal one or more bruises, swelling of the elbow, an increase in its size, and dysfunction of the joint.
• Radiography. X-ray reveals free fluid in the elbow joint, changes in the size of the joint space, expansion of the joint capsule, swelling of the periarticular ( periarticular) tissues, interstitial hematomas ( limited cavities filled with blood).
• Ultrasonography. This study allows you to quickly detect the presence of pathological fluid in the elbow joint.

Is home treatment possible?

Sometimes after diagnostic procedures doctor ( traumatologist or surgeon) can reveal the accumulation of pathological fluid in the joint, in such cases he will pierce the joint with a special syringe and remove it, and also prescribe the necessary medication to prevent the recurrence of effusion in the elbow joint ( pathological fluid).

How is a bruised elbow treated at home?

After using cold or in combination with its use) it is recommended to use indomethacin or diclofenac, which represent a group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and have an analgesic effect, prevent the development of edema in the elbow joint and tissues located in its vicinity.

Elbow bursitis

The pain syndrome increases each time during passive and active movements in the joint, with the usual touch to the pathological formation ( swelling), which is only an enlarged ulnar periarticular bag. Its increase is associated with the accumulation inside it of a liquid of different composition ( pus, blood, mucus, etc.). With ulnar bursitis, pathological swelling can be of different sizes ( usually it becomes larger than the olecranon and completely covers it from above), on palpation it is relatively mobile and has a soft texture.

There are many causes of elbow bursitis. Sometimes this pathology appears as a result of mechanical trauma ( with bruises, fractures, dislocations of the elbow joint), infection of the tissues of the ulnar periarticular bursa. This disease is often found in degenerative ( e.g. osteoarthritis of the elbow) and metabolic diseases ( pyrophosphate arthropathy, diabetes mellitus, etc.) and tumors of the elbow joint. Relatively rarely, ulnar bursitis is found in osteomyelitis, synovial chondromatosis.

What structures are damaged?

Which doctor should I contact?

Diagnosis of ulnar bursitis

Also, a diagnostic puncture of the periarticular bursa is often used to remove fluid from it and take it for laboratory testing in order to clarify the cause that led to the development of ulnar bursitis.

Methods for diagnosing ulnar bursitis

Is home treatment possible?

If the elbow bursitis bothers the patient for a long time, and he cannot recover from it in any way, then it is recommended to him complete removal subcutaneous periarticular bursa through surgical intervention.

How is elbow bursitis treated at home?

Epicondylitis

Main clinical manifestation epicondylitis is pain near the elbow joint ( at the points of attachment of the muscle tendons to one or both epicondyles of the humerus), appearing during flexion or extension actions ( more active) in the wrist joint ( the joint between the hand and the forearm). As a rule, pain sensations are absent at rest and occur during palpation of the bony protrusions of the lateral ( external side) or medial ( inner side) epicondyles of the humerus, which are located on both sides of the olecranon of the ulna.

The mechanism of development of epicondylitis is associated with prolonged physical overload of the wrist joint, which occurs when performing various similar housework ( laundry, ironing, cooking, etc.), At work ( seamstresses, painters, etc.), in training ( tennis, ping-pong, golf, etc.).

What structures are damaged?

Which doctor should I contact?

Diagnosis of epicondylitis

Diagnosis of epicondylitis includes the use of the following research methods:

• Anamnesis. With an anamnesis, the attending physician is able to establish the presence of pain localized in the epicondyles of the humerus and arising from flexion or extension movements in the hand. Also, the collection of anamnesis allows you to identify a certain type of actions performed ( at work, at home, while exercising), which may be the cause of epicondylitis.
• Visual inspection. External examination determines the presence of local pain observed on palpation of the junctions of the muscle tendons with the epicondyles of the humerus.
• Radiography and computed tomography. These methods allow to detect other pathologies ( tumors, nerve damage, fracture or dislocation, etc.), which can also be a source of pain in the elbow joint. In addition, these methods are able to detect limited areas of inflammation in the region of the epicondyles of the humerus.

Is home treatment possible?

It should be noted that sometimes patients with epicondylitis need one or more injections with analgesics and hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs. Such injections can be carried out by a traumatologist at his own discretion in a medical institution.

How is epicondylitis treated at home?

There are the following principles of treatment of epicondylitis:

• The imposition of cold. If pain occurs in the area of ​​the epicondyles of the humerus, something cold should be immediately applied ( ice bag or cold water and etc.).
• The use of anti-inflammatory ointments. The main and only drug that is used to treat epicondylitis are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( diclofenac, voltaren, indomethacin, nurofen). These preparations should be used in the form of ointments or gels to achieve a more effective penetration of active medicinal substances into the affected areas.
• Bandage application. In addition to the use of medicinal anti-inflammatory ointments and the application of cold, it is necessary to wear a bandage in your free time ( from elastic bandage or other materials) on the elbow joint, which will limit movement in the elbow area.
• Reducing the load on wrist joint. The main means of getting rid of the recurrence or exacerbation of epicondylitis is to reduce the heavy load on the wrist joint ( such as changing jobs or sports).

Why does the elbow hurt when flexing and / or extending the arm?

There are the following main causes that cause pain when flexing and / or extending the arm:

• traumatic lesions of the elbow joint;
• arthritis of the elbow joint;
• tumor of the elbow joint;
• intermittent hydrarthrosis.

Arthritis of the elbow joint
Arthritis of the elbow joint is also a very common pathology that causes pain in the elbow. The cause of pain in arthritis is inflammation in the intra-articular structures, which was caused by various factors - infection ( at infectious arthritis ), autoaggression of the body ( in autoimmune and reactive arthritis), deposition of mineral salts ( gout, pseudogout, etc.) and etc.

Tumor of the elbow joint
A tumor in the elbow joint can cause pain in the elbow when moving. The mechanism for the appearance of pain in this pathology is a pronounced destruction of surrounding tissues and mechanical compression of nerve endings by a growing tumor. In addition, in tissues that are affected in any way by the tumor, inflammatory responses can develop, which also cause pain in the elbow.

Intermittent hydrarthrosis
Pain in the elbow joint with intermittent hydrarthrosis during flexion and / or extensor movements is caused by the accumulation of pathological fluid inside the joint, which also prevents these actions from being fully carried out, which causes significant discomfort for the patient and forces him to go to a medical institution.

Why do my elbows and knees hurt?

Also, a combined lesion of the elbows and knees can occur with some metabolic pathologies that result from the deposition of salts of various chemical elements in the joints. For example, with gout, there is an accumulation of salts uric acid, with pyrophosphate arthropathy - calcium salts of diphosphate dihydrate.

There are the following reasons for which elbows and knees can hurt at the same time:

• rheumatoid arthritis;
• rheumatism;
• pyrophosphate arthropathy;
• osteoarthritis;
• gout.

Rheumatism
Pain in the elbows and knees with rheumatism appear as a result of damage to the structures of these joints by antistreptococcal antibodies ( protein immune molecules secreted by cells of the immune system and aimed at fighting streptococcal infection). Such antibodies occur in the blood with angina, pharyngitis ( inflammation of the pharynx) and remain in it after the recovery of the person.

Pyrophosphate arthropathy
Salts deposited in this disease contribute to gradual mineralization ( hardening) articular surfaces of the elbow and knee joints, which is the main reason for the decrease in their softness and elasticity. When hardened articular cartilages rub against each other ( and other joint structures) their microtraumatization occurs, which causes the development of inflammation and pain in the joints.

Osteoarthritis
Pain in the knee and elbow joints in osteoarthritis is associated with degenerative processes occurring in the articular cartilage of these joints under the influence of constant and / or heavy physical exertion, which over time cause a decrease in elasticity, cushioning properties and lead to cartilage hardening.

Gout
pain in the joints ( elbow and knee) in gout is caused by inflammatory processes that develop as a result of accumulation in them ( joints) urate salts ( uric acid). The accumulation of salts in the articular cartilage disrupts their shape and structure, reduces their strength and elasticity, so when walking they are often traumatized and destroyed.

Why does my elbow hurt and my hand goes numb?

There are the following pathologies of the elbow zone, leading to numbness of the hand:

• Fracture of the bones of the elbow. Fracture of the bones of the elbow leads to nerve damage only in cases where there is a displacement of parts ( fragments) damaged bone. These fragments actually can damage the nerve trunks passing in the elbow zone.
• Bruise of the elbow zone. A bruise of the elbow zone is one of the types of closed and non-serious injuries of soft tissues, nerves, and blood vessels. Most often, bruises lead to slight trauma to the nerve endings, which after a while return their former sensitivity.
• Wound of the elbow area. An injury to the elbow is one of the most dangerous species injuries, which can lead not only to damage to the nerves, but also to their complete rupture.
• Tumor of the elbow joint. Tumors of the elbow joint, as they grow, often compress their surrounding tissues ( including nerves.).
• Osteoarthritis of the elbow joint. Nerve damage in osteoarthritis occurs due to the development of a significant deformity of the elbow joint and the appearance of various bone and cartilage outgrowths that exert compression ( squeezing) effect on the nerves.

What pathologies cause severe pain in the elbow?

• Elbow injury. Serious elbow injury broken bones, dislocation, bruise) always provokes severe pain in the elbow. The mechanism of their appearance is associated with the destruction of tissues and the development of inflammation in them. Particularly severe pain occurs when open injuries elbow area ( gunshot wounds, open fractures, dislocations, stab wounds).
• Pseudogout. Severe pain with pseudogout ( pyrophosphate arthropathy) arise due to inflammation of the structures of the elbow joint and periarticular tissues, against the background of the accumulation of calcium salts in them.
• Koenig's disease. Severe pain in Koenig's disease is caused by instantly developing subchondral necrosis of one of the articular surfaces of the bones that form the elbow joint.
• Arthritis of the elbow joint. Severe forms of many arthritis ( infectious, rheumatoid, psoriatic) are clinically characterized by the appearance of significant pain in the elbow joints. The mechanism of pain syndrome that occurs in arthritis is associated with excessive inflammation of the articular cartilage, capsule, ligaments and adjacent tissues, as well as the accumulation of pathological fluid inside the joint.
• Osteomyelitis. The cause of severe pain in osteomyelitis is purulent fusion of the bone and cartilage tissue of the bones that form the elbow zone, under the influence of harmful microorganisms.

Our life is a constant movement. The ability to move freely is primarily provided by the joints. IN human body there are about 360 joints of various types and structures. Some of them are very mobile, while others do not move at all. Elbow joints are very mobile joints of the musculoskeletal system and provide a wide range of motion of the forearm. They are located superficially, which contributes to frequent injuries and increased loads. The treatment of pain in the elbow joint is a very urgent problem, because it can happen to anyone, whether it be a professional athlete or an ordinary person.

Briefly about the elbow

To better understand why the elbow joint hurts, you need to understand how it works. The articulation belongs to complex anatomical structures, because three bones take part in its construction - the humerus, ulna and radius. In fact, these are 3 separate small joints that are enclosed in a single capsule. The heads of these bones are covered with hyaline cartilage. The joint capsule has many inversions and pockets, inside the connection there are ligaments that provide anatomical integrity and a certain range of motion in the elbow.

In the fossa of the elbow passes a very important neurovascular bundle, which consists of the median, radial and ulnar nerves, as well as the radial and ulnar arteries. In traumatic injuries, these nerves and vessels are often injured simultaneously with the elbow joint, which leads to severe complications. Therefore, any elbow injury should be examined not only by a traumatologist, but also by a neurologist for damage to nerve fibers.

The elbow joint is quite complex in structure and consists of 3 bones - the humerus, radius, ulna

The main causes of pain

The reasons why the elbow can hurt are different - these are inflammatory lesions, traumatic injuries, degenerative-dystrophic processes, occupational diseases, etc. Finding out exactly why the elbow hurts is very important, because treatment will directly depend on this.

Most often you have to deal with such pathologies:

• arthrosis is a degenerative-dystrophic lesion of articular cartilage with subsequent damage to all anatomical structures of the joint;
• arthritis - an inflammatory lesion of the elbow of various etiologies - infectious, allergic, autoimmune;
• epicondylitis is a degenerative process at the site of attachment of muscle ligaments to the medial or lateral epicondyles of the humerus, respectively, epicondylitis can be medial and lateral;
• - inflammation of the bags of the articular capsule and the accumulation of exudate in them of an inflammatory or aseptic nature;
• various traumatic injuries of the elbow.

Lateral epicondylitis is an occupational disease of tennis players, it is also called "tennis elbow"

How to get rid of pain?

Treatment of elbow pain must be started as soon as it occurs, otherwise you risk the function of your hand. How and what to treat, we will talk below. First of all, you need to understand the etiology of the disease that caused the pain. To do this, describe in detail to the doctor all the symptoms, tell how the disease began, what was accompanied, what, at your discretion, provoked it, what medicines help with pain, etc.

Medical therapy

It is almost impossible to treat pain in the elbow joints without medication. There are several groups of drugs that are used for this purpose.

Let's start with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It is this group of drugs that is most often used to eliminate pain, and of any nature. This is not surprising. These drugs act quickly and effectively, relieve inflammation and soreness, but treatment with NSAIDs alone will not bring results in the future. After all, these drugs eliminate only the symptoms of the disease, and not its cause. But, when a person has unbearable pain in the elbow, then only pain therapy can alleviate his suffering.

The modern pharmaceutical market has about 40 active substances from this group, and drugs and dosage forms based on them - hundreds. The most commonly used drugs based on: diclofenac, nimesulide, indomethacin, celecoxib, meloxicam, ketorolac, ibuprofen, naproxen, piroxicam. Such ambulance preparations are produced in the form of tablets, gels, ointments, solutions for intravenous, intramuscular, intraarticular injections, suppositories, patches, etc. And their combined intake (orally and locally) will help get rid of pain much faster.

It must be remembered that although these are over-the-counter drugs, you should not get carried away with taking them - they have many contraindications and side effects. Of course, if the pain is severe, then you can drink an anesthetic pill, but it is strictly forbidden to swallow them in packs (they are not intended for long-term use).

In order to prevent the exacerbation of the pain syndrome and treat not only the symptoms, but also the causes of the disease, agents are prescribed that are able to restore damaged joint cartilage and slow down the progression of the dystrophic process - chondroprotectors. All such drugs basically have 2 substances - chondroitin and glucosamine (natural components of human cartilage tissue). To note a positive result, the course of treatment should be long - at least 3-4 months, and it is necessary to start with 15-20 intramuscular or intra-articular injections and continue taking the drug orally for 2-3 months. Each year, the course of treatment must be repeated in order to consolidate the results achieved.

The most commonly used drugs are:

• Structum;
• Alflutop;
• Chondroxide;
• Teraflex;
• Noltrex;
• Chondrolon.

If the pain is very severe, then the doctor may prescribe you injections into the joint cavity. This treatment is very effective, but is used only in acute situations. You should not get carried away with such methods, because each injection is a risk of infection in the elbow joint, which will only aggravate the situation.

Three groups of medicines can be injected into the joint:

• glucocorticoid hormones;
• chondroprotective agents;
• hyaluronic acid preparations.

Glucocorticoid hormones are powerful anti-inflammatory drugs, but at the same time they have a lot of contraindications and side effects. Relief from this injection is immediate, making this procedure very popular among patients with joint pain. Most often, such medicines are injected:

• Diprospan;
• Kenalog;
• Flosteron;
• Metipred;
• Depomedrol.

The course of treatment consists of 3-5 injections at intervals of about 2 weeks. Despite fast elimination symptoms, it is impossible to treat articular disease with corticosteroids alone, since they do not affect the cause of the pathology and do not help stop the progress of the disease.

Injections in the elbow joint are a very effective and quick way to get rid of pain, but only an experienced specialist in stationary conditions should do such a manipulation.

IN Lately hyaluronic acid preparations are especially popular for injection into the cavity of joints affected by a degenerative process. Such injections are called a liquid prosthesis. Ostenil, Fermatron, Synocrom are presented on the modern pharmaceutical market. They replace the missing intra-articular fluid and restore the natural lubrication of the joint, as well as improve the nutrition of cartilage tissue, which has a positive effect on its condition.

Orthopedic treatment

Orthopedic methods for the treatment of pain in the elbow come to the fore in case of traumatic injury. Depending on the type of injury and its severity, an orthopedic traumatologist may assign you to wear a cast, splint, tight bandage, a special orthosis, which will contribute to the immobilization and rest of the affected joint, which is the main integral part successful treatment of injuries.

Modern orthoses allow you to achieve maximum peace of mind for the elbow joint, while you can monitor the condition of the elbow and carry out all medical manipulations on it.

Folk recipes for elbow pain

Folk remedies for joint pain have been known for a long time. Sometimes it becomes very difficult to choose what you need, as the abundance of folk recipes is confusing. Below we give a few recipes that will be effective just for elbow pain:

1. Take pre-cleaned and dried eggshell, crush it into powder, mix with sour milk to the consistency of gruel, apply the resulting mixture to the sore elbow, and wrap it with a warm cloth. You need to keep such a compress for at least 1 hour. The course of treatment is 5 days.
2. Buttercup treatment. To do this, pour the flowers with a glass of boiling water, let it brew for 5-6 hours. Then bring the volume of the decoction to 5 liters with hot water and take “elbow baths”. The water should be hot, you need to keep your elbow in it for 1 hour. At night, you can make lotions from the same decoction. The course of treatment is 10 days.
3. Healing homemade ointment. To do this, take 50 grams of camphor, 50 ml of 70% alcohol, 3 tablespoons of dry mustard, 2 egg whites. The resulting ointment is treated with an elbow and wrapped with a cloth for the night. The course of treatment is 5 wraps.

Also, one should not forget about physiotherapy procedures, which sometimes turn out to be even more effective than drugs. If all of the above methods do not help you get rid of pain, then perhaps the pathological process has gone far and you need surgery. Modern equipment and methods of surgical interventions allow you to return the function of the hand and get rid of pain even in the most severe cases. But in order to prevent this, seek specialized medical help in a timely manner.

Article publication date: 05.02.2013

Article last updated: 12/01/2018

Human hands can be very strong and enduring, but they are also subjected to the strongest, most intense and prolonged impacts during physical labor. This is especially true of the elbow joint. Sooner or later, this leads to the fact that the elbow begins to signal us about impending problems with the help of pain. The obvious course of action to eliminate the causes, causing pain in the elbow joint - treatment, recovery and further prevention. Let's figure out what are the causes of pain in the elbow joint, and what the doctor will most likely prescribe for us as a treatment.

Why does the elbow joint hurt?

There can be many reasons why the elbow joint bothers you, but the most common ones are: epicondylitis, referred pain from cervical spine, arthritis, arthrosis. Let's consider each of these reasons in more detail.

People who work intensively with their hands are at risk for the disease with their elbows. For example, many athletes

Epicondylitis

The disease is more traumatic than pathological. Occurs with too intense impact on the joint, in which the tendons are damaged. It can be both a sharp impact, and a smooth, but long-lasting one. People involved in heavy physical labor the question of why the elbows hurt does not arise, but the same symptoms can occur after a short, but "unaccustomed" load.

With epicondylitis, pain manifests itself mainly with rotational movements or load on the joint. At rest or during daily movements, pain is not observed.

Referred pain

With referred pain emanating from cervicothoracic spine, the elbow joint does not change its appearance from the outside (as in the case of epicondylitis), but the nature of the pain changes. In this case, the pain bothers even at rest, often the patient even wakes up at night from severe pain in the elbow joint.

Arthrosis

With arthrosis, as a rule, it does not happen too intense pain at the elbow. And they are felt only when trying to bend or straighten the arm as much as possible. And here, as regards physical indicators, the situation is different here. Elbow movements are often accompanied by a crunch, stiffness is observed, the arm may not fully extend, and over time, the bone begins to deform.

Arthritis

Pain in the elbow joint with arthritis is inflammatory in nature, and therefore they are often quite strong. The pain is disturbing not only during movement, but also at rest. The affected area swells, redness is observed.

In each of these cases, if the elbow joint hurts, treatment will be absolutely necessary, since the disease itself will not go away. How to determine the disease and how to start the fight against the disease? Further we will talk exactly about this.

"Scheme" of the elbow

How to diagnose and treat?

If you observe a pronounced pain, the reasons for which are not completely obvious to you, you should immediately consult a doctor. The source of pain can be one, but the nature of the disease is very different, up to infectious. In addition to pain, swelling, stiffness during flexion / extension can be observed.

First, the doctor visually examines your elbow and will definitely prescribe an x-ray. In most cases, treatment will be prescribed on its basis, but it is not a fact that the diagnosis will end there.

It is quite possible that you will need a blood test, urine test, and even a fluorography. The fact is that such pains can be the result of infectious processes, in particular, even tuberculosis. An infectious disease causes inflammation of the periarticular sac. This state of affairs may require surgical intervention, sometimes extremely urgent. This is one of the reasons why a visit to the doctor should not be delayed. If the cause of the pain is still an infection, but surgery is not necessary, you will be prescribed a course of antibiotic therapy.

In less critical cases, problems arise due to various arthritis, arthrosis, epicondylitis, and, of course, injuries. Moreover, injuries can also be not quite obvious, because an elbow injury is not necessarily a dislocation or a fracture. In any of the listed cases of the disease, a traumatologist and a rheumatologist will deal with your treatment.

If during treatment you are still worried about pain in the elbow joint, you need to somehow deal with this. For this purpose, the doctor will prescribe you pills, injections or ointments, or even all together, depending on the specific case.

After it is removed acute inflammation, you will be assigned various physiotherapy procedures, massage and physiotherapy exercises.

Prevention

If the disease has already overtaken, then the choice is small - it is necessary to begin treatment of pain in the elbow joint, or rather the reasons that caused it. But if the worst has not yet come, you have a chance to push back the inevitable aging processes in time, and perhaps even completely avoid debilitating pain in the elbow joints.

Try to avoid excessive physical activity, but do not overdo it. Moderate physical activity keeps the muscles in good shape, and they, in turn, largely determine the state of the joint. It is extremely important to have a balanced diet and avoid overweight. And do not be lazy to conduct preventive examinations with a doctor more often.

Owner and responsible for the site and content: Afinogenov Alexey.

Causes of pain in the elbow joint. Ways of folk and traditional treatment. An approximate therapy plan with the inclusion of ointments, tablets, physical procedures. Features of massage, diet and types of operations performed.

The content of the article:

Treatment of the elbow joint is a task that involves partial or full recovery its functions, eliminating pain, relieving inflammation and activating the regeneration of cartilaginous tissues. That's exactly what complex action underlies the successful treatment of patients in the early stages. But in especially neglected cases, it can not do without surgical intervention.

Why does the elbow joint hurt?

Very often, the deterioration is due to the following diseases:

• Diffuse fasciitis. This is the name of the systemic inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue, tissues and muscles, which is characterized by high level immunoglobulins in the blood. In this case, the skin may become inflamed and reddened.
• Epicondylitis. It is divided into internal and external; in both cases, when pressing on the elbow, severe pain bothers. This may be accompanied by an inflammatory process in the tendons and discomfort when bending the arm.
• Bursitis. This concept hides inflammation of the elbow joint, which is often preceded by professional, domestic or sports injuries - fractures, bruises, dislocations. If this is the reason, then the patient may have a round neoplasm in the problem area.
• Chondromatosis. Most often, it develops acutely, creating a bright clinical picture in the form of an excessive increase in the mobility of the subcutaneous cartilage, which can move without obstacles in the joint cavity.
• Dissecting osteochondritis. With this disease, a small area of ​​cartilage is separated from the main bones and becomes independent. As a result of the formation of a free body, severe pain occurs, most often this happens to people aged 15 to 35 years.
• Osteoarthritis. It occurs quite rarely, and mainly among those who perform heavy physical work with their hands or in women over 45 years old after menopause due to hormonal imbalance.

Features of the treatment of the elbow joint

Therapy is impossible without an accurate diagnosis, which requires an x-ray, CT scan, MRI or ultrasound. Most likely, you will need to pass rheumatic tests to determine the amount of C-reactive protein, albumin, ASL-O. It is possible that you will also have to conduct clinical and biochemical blood tests. The goal of the treatment is to bring pus out, relieve inflammation, suppress infection, and restore cartilage tissue.

Medical preparations and devices for the elbow joint

Drugs that are usually prescribed depending on a particular disease include:

• Anti-inflammatory. This effect gives the ingestion of Ketorol, Nise, Nimesil. The exact dosage and course is determined only by the doctor. Indomethacin ointment and Dimexide solution also help in the treatment of the elbow joint, they treat the skin 1-2 times a day. An iodine mesh will also be very useful.
• Antibiotics. They are relevant when it comes to pus and infections. Among such drugs, macrolides, cephalosporins and penicillins have proven themselves well. They can be administered either through a vein or taken orally. On average, treatment lasts 5-7 days.
• Chondroprotectors. Here, drugs of the first, second, and third generation are used. The most commonly prescribed are those made on the basis of chondroitin sulfates, hyaluronic acid and glucosamine. They are used both in the form of tablets and injections. The course lasts about a week.
• Antidepressants. Most often they are prescribed only for the so-called tunnel syndrome. The use of duloxetine and venlafaxine is widely practiced. Doses are gradually increased over two weeks, after which they take a break. Self-administration of antidepressants is not recommended.
• Anticonvulsants. They are needed only if there is a tremor - such drugs have an anticonvulsant effect. In this case, take Pregabalin-Richter or Gabapentin in the form of capsules.
• Vascular. With neuritis of the ulnar nerve and circulatory disorders in the arm, Papaverine or Eufillin helps. The first is needed only in tablet form, and the second can be used in the form of powder, injection and also in tablets.
• Analgesics. Anesthesia is carried out with the help of Ibuprofen, Analgin, Ketanov, cytostatics. With severe pain, Lidocaine or Novocain can be administered intravenously.
• Corticosteroids. Among them, Kenalog and Diprospan, created for intramuscular or intraarticular injections, deserve the most attention.

Physiotherapy for elbow problems

More detailed information For each method, please see below:

1. Ultraphonophoresis. Sound vibrations have an effective effect on the affected and inflamed joints, help to deliver all the necessary medicines to the body in full and as quickly as possible. This technique allows you to activate the drainage excess fluid, improve blood circulation and restore metabolic processes in tissues. For such purposes, at least 5 procedures are required in one course.
2. diadynamic therapy. This is a relatively new method that involves the use of dynamic current. It can be used only in the first stages with deforming arthrosis, epicondylitis and some other diseases, since this method does not help to cure the elbow joint in advanced cases. One course usually includes 7 sessions lasting no more than 30 minutes each. After 2 weeks, if necessary, it can be repeated.
3. Magnetotherapy. The essence of this technique is the impact on the damaged surface of the magnetic field. One procedure lasts about 15 minutes, for successful treatment they need to be carried out from 10 to 20. This option is not suitable for malignant neoplasms, elevated body temperature and tuberculosis.
4. shock wave therapy. During the session, the problematic tissues of the patient are exposed to an infrasound wave of the desired frequency. Thus, blood flow is accelerated, calcium crystals are destroyed and inflammation is relieved. The procedure is carried out at intervals of 2-3 times a week, about 5 sessions are required for one course.

Elbow joint massage

Most often, a specialist works in four hands, using an assistant. At this time they are standing, and the patient is sitting or lying on the couch.

They begin with the study of cartilage, for which they press the thumb on the affected area. After that, the elbow is pulled into different sides, shake, knead and turn the brush outward. Then the problem area is massaged for several minutes. Then one arm is straightened and moved to the other. The procedure ends with rubbing the painful areas with the palms or fingers.

Massage of the elbow joint is a prerequisite for rehabilitation after diagnosing its diseases. For recovery, you need to visit a specialist at least 7 times, one session takes about 15 minutes. It is very important to do this regularly, every day.

Folk remedies for the treatment of elbow joints

Here we have collected what will be the best treatment for the elbow joint:

• Trays. Add to 50 liters of water 10 tbsp. l. sea ​​salt, then let it dissolve well. Instead of this component, you can put fresh cones (0.5-liter jar) or add an infusion of pine needles, for the preparation of which it (10 tablespoons) must be poured with boiling water (1 liter). The bath should be taken for about 20 minutes.
• Compresses. First of all, pay attention to the celandine, from which you need to squeeze the juice. Then soak a small piece of gauze in it, folded in half, and attach it to the elbow for 30 minutes, wrapping it with a bandage. You can also pour boiling water (200 ml) crushed horse sorrel roots (1 tbsp. L.). Keep the composition for 2-3 hours, strain and use the liquid to soak the gauze. So it is necessary to treat the elbow joint at home until the pain is eliminated.
• infusions. Mix nettle, birch and violet (2.5 tablespoons each) and pour boiling water over the mass (200 ml). Leave it for a day, strain in the morning and drink 25 ml three times a day.
• Ointments. If the elbow joint hurts a lot, the combination of propolis (100 g) with vegetable oil (50 ml) will be most effective. Apply this mixture on the desired areas and leave for 15-20 minutes. This should be done 1-2 times a day.

Exercises for the treatment of elbow joints

Here are a few movements that relieve the condition of the joint:

1. Mahi. Hands need to be directed in a circle (as if you are swimming on your back), first clockwise and then against it. You can alternate them one at a time or lift them at the same time. In this case, you can not rush, so as not to injure the bones.
2. Flexion. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, and stretch your arms along them to the sides and straighten. After that, begin to slowly bend them at the elbows, bringing your fingers to your chest, and then unbend.
3. Rotations. Bend your arms, place your fingertips on your shoulders and begin to rotate them in a circle from left to right 10 times, and then vice versa.
4. Pulling. Take the expander, put it behind your back and stand on its lower part with your feet, while tightly grasping the edges with your hands. Now stretch them to the ceiling, while stretching as high as possible. Then place the rubber band behind your back and pull it up again.

Note! Since the development of the elbow joint is the number one task during the treatment period, gymnastics must be performed every day, even after achieving remission.

Diet for problems with the elbow joint

Vegetarian soups are helpful. Low-calorie fish is also welcome, but you need to cook it either by steaming, or in the oven, or with a little salt.

Green smoothies and fresh juices, vegetable and fruit salads are relevant. To remove salts and alkalize the body, you need to include in the menu Apple vinegar.

flour products and sweets are allowed, but only occasionally. It is better to leave coffee and black tea for later, instead of them you can drink hibiscus, green tea, infusion of lemon balm, mint and linden.

Watch the water regime, drink enough liquid, at least 1 liter, it helps to remove toxins from the body, which, deposited in the joints, worsen the situation.

Surgery for problems with the elbow joint

If arthroscopy is ineffective, then endoprosthetics(replacement of the old joint with a new, artificial one). This operation takes about an hour and is performed under general anesthesia. At this time, a metal hinged or silicone hingeless prosthesis is inserted into the desired area, which can last more than 20 years. This option is excluded if the nerves in the elbow are damaged.

How to treat the elbow joint - look at the video: