The elbow hurts in the joint: what to do? Than to treat?

Pain in the elbow joint is a symptom with which every person meets at least once in a lifetime. The causes of the appearance of pain in the elbow are very many, and each of them requires a certain treatment. If the elbow hurts in the joint even at rest, you should immediately consult a doctor.

How is the elbow joint?

The joint is a movable junction of the bones of the skeleton. The elbow joint is formed by the radial, ulnar and humerus bones. Vortices pass through the elbow, which supply blood from the elbow to the wrist and phalanges of the fingers. Also through the joint, there are three nerves that can cause pain in the elbow when flexing or flexing. Strengthened joint four ligaments.

Movement of the elbow joint is carried out with the help of flexor muscles and extensors:

• From shoulder to elbow - triceps, shoulder biceps, elbow and shoulder muscles;
• From the elbow to the wrist - square and round pronators, brachial, radial flexor of the fingers, ulnar flexor of the wrist and others.

It is during movement that the elbow in the joint often hurts. What to do to relieve the pain syndrome before visiting a doctor, can be read below.

Causes of pain in the elbow joint

Pain in the elbow can be related:

• With injuries resulting from injuries;
• With tumors;
• With degenerative-dystrophic processes;
• With pathological changes in blood vessels and nerves;
• With inflammation of infectious and non-infectious etiology, localized in the joint itself or surrounding tissues;
• With the peculiarities of the movement of the joint (in some athletes).

The most frequent causes of pain are injuries, damage or overload of the joint. If the elbows hurt in the joints of the hands without preliminary injuries, this indicates the development of diseases. Each of them has its own symptomatology and treatment features.

What are the diseases of the elbow joint?

The most common disease is epicondylitis - damage to tendons due to trauma or a strong long-term load. The elbow hurts in the joint under load or when performing rotational movements. In everyday life or at rest, no painful symptoms appear.

Reflex pain is a disease that occurs due to changes in the cervicothoracic spine. Externally, the joint does not change. The main difference is the nature of pain - it arises even in a state of rest.

Osteoarthritis is not characterized by a strong pain syndrome. It occurs only when you try to bend or straighten your arm to the limit. In addition to pain when bending, there is a stiffness and a crunch. In the absence of proper treatment, bone deformation occurs after a while.

Arthritis is an inflammatory process in the joint, accompanied by severe pain, even at rest, reddening and swelling of the affected area.

Any pain in the elbow joint is an occasion to visit a doctor. Painful symptoms do not pass by themselves, they need treatment - eliminating the root cause of soreness of the joint. Only in this case you can keep your health.

The elbow hurts in the joint: what to do? Ointment and compresses as a way to reduce pain syndrome

If the pain increases, and there is no opportunity to visit the doctor right now, you can use simple methods:

• Fixation of the elbow joint - it is possible to significantly reduce the manifestation of the symptom by reducing the load on it and fixing it with an elastic bandage. It is necessary, if possible, to ensure complete rest of the joint before revealing the cause of the appearance of pain and the appointment of a correct treatment.
• Cold compresses allow a little to reduce the pain and swelling of the affected area. Apply such compresses can be no more than half an hour, otherwise you can only damage the joint and strengthen the pain syndrome.
• The use of gels or ointments - their main component must be a substance that provides anti-inflammatory action (diclofenac, ibuprofen, nimesulide). You need to rub them several times a day.

Do not self-medicate. These methods are used only to relieve unpleasant symptoms. In the event of pain, it is necessary to contact the emergency department in the near future, where an experienced specialist will help to determine the cause of the discomfort in the elbow joint.

The elbow hurts in a joint: than to treat?

The main conservative treatment includes physiotherapy and drug therapy:

• Physiotherapy includes physical therapy, reflexology, exercise and massage.
• Drug therapy - a course of drugs that provide activation of nerve conduction and improve blood circulation. It is necessary to take additional pain medications and normalize the work of the digestive tract. The most commonly used is "Structum", "Chondroxide", "Teraflex". For injections use "Flosteron", "Diprospan", "Metipred".

To appoint an effective and safe treatment, you need to undergo an examination with a doctor and, if necessary, additional examinations. Only if there is a complete picture of the symptoms and changes in the structure of the elbow can you put the correct diagnosis and prescribe an effective treatment.

What examinations can the doctor prescribe for pain in the elbow?

If during examination the doctor discovers swelling, swelling and other lesions of the elbow joint area, he or she appoints the appropriate examination methods:

• Blood test (biochemical);
• X-ray of the elbow joint (with suspicion of degenerative changes after injuries and heavy load);
• CT or MRI of the elbow joint is prescribed when the radiography has not given the desired result either for people who can not do x-rays (pregnant women, patients who recently received radiation with radiography);
• A biopsy of the elbow joint is prescribed if there is a suspected malignant tumor in the joint or ulnar area, when the elbow in the joint is severely sore.

What to do? To confirm or deny a preliminary diagnosis of a doctor, it is necessary to conduct the examinations for the intended purpose and as soon as possible.

Surgical treatment of the joint

It is used only if there is no effect after a course of conservative medical treatment. One of the most effective and common methods of surgical treatment is the introduction of hyaluronic acid into the joint cavity.

Hyaluronic acid is a protein compound, it is from it that the joint is almost half formed. The injection is made into the joint bag of the affected joint, due to this, the friction between the articular surfaces of the bones decreases, and the process of destruction of the joint tissues slows down.

It is better to monitor your health regularly to prevent the development of joint diseases, which is difficult to cure. Attention to your condition and the appearance of painful syndromes will allow you to quickly eliminate the developing changes in the joints.

Traditional methods of treatment

Many can be bothered by an unpleasant symptom when the elbow in the joint hurts. What to do? Folk remedies allow to reduce the pain syndrome before the appointment of traditional treatment.

In folk medicine, an egg shell is used to treat joints. It must be dried and ground into powder, then mixed with sour milk to the state of gruel and applied to the elbow. For better effect, the joint should be wrapped around with a warm cloth and walk for 1 hour. The course of treatment is 5 days.

You can arrange baths, if the elbow hurts in the joint. What to do? To do this, pour a glass of boiling water 1 tbsp. L. Flowers of the buttercup. The resulting broth diluted with hot water to a volume of 5 liters and within an hour to take "elbow baths" while maintaining the water temperature.

Any folk remedies can be used only after consulting a doctor. Otherwise, incorrect treatment can aggravate the condition of the joints.

Prevention of pain in the joint

Any disease is easier to prevent than to spend a lot of time, effort and money on treatment. The main preventive measures are:

• Protection of joints from excessive and prolonged load;
• Adherence to a healthy lifestyle (proper nutrition and moderate exercise);
• Try not to allow the appearance of excess weight (since it exerts a strong pressure on the joints);
• Regularly undergo preventive examinations with doctors, especially if the elbow hurts in the joint.

What to do to prevent joint disease? A responsible attitude towards one's life is a guarantee of health and longevity, especially for the joint condition.