Overuse injuries often cause elbow pain, especially if you play sports like baseball and tennis. But anyone can develop elbow pain, even if they just lean on their elbow too long. The board-certified and fellowship-trained physicians at New Braunfels Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine offer comprehensive treatment for all sources of elbow pain. To schedule an appointment, call their office in New Braunfels, Texas, or use the online booking feature today.
These are some of the top causes of elbow pain:
Activities that repeatedly flex, extend, or turn your wrist, like tennis and golf, lead to inflammation and damage in the tendons that connect your forearm muscles to your elbow.
Throwing a ball places significant stress on the elbow’s medial collateral ligament, causing inflammation that can lead to a ligament rupture.
Sustaining a direct blow to your elbow or falling on an outstretched arm can lead to an elbow fracture.
Osteoarthritis develops when the cartilage that protects the bones in your elbow joint degenerates. This condition typically develops over years of daily wear and tear.
A bursa is a small, fluid-filled sac that cushions movement between the bones in a joint and your skin. These sacs become inflamed, a condition called bursitis, due to injuries, infections, and when you lean on your elbow for an extended time.
A fall or traumatic accident is usually the cause of a complete or partial elbow dislocation.
An acute injury can tear the tendon that attaches your biceps muscle to your elbow.
The injuries that cause elbow pain also lead to symptoms such as:
In some types of injuries, you may be able to bend your elbow but lose the ability to move your forearm or wrist.
The best treatment for your elbow depends on the cause of your pain and the severity of your symptoms. The New Braunfels Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine team starts your treatment with the most conservative options possible.
Your initial treatment may include rest, immobilization, activity modification, and physical therapy. Your provider may also recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or a steroid injection to relieve severe inflammation and pain.
Your New Braunfels Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine provider may recommend a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection to accelerate tissue regeneration and healing. If you develop elbow osteoarthritis, cartilage restoration may be a treatment option. Patients who suffer a severe injury or who have advanced arthritis in their elbow may qualify for an elbow joint replacement.
Elbow dislocations and fractures are immediately realigned, with or without surgery, then immobilized for a short time before starting rehabilitation. In cases where a tendon tears away from the bone or you suffer a ligament rupture, you may need surgery to ensure you regain optimal strength. When surgery is necessary, your provider may offer the option of minimally invasive arthroscopy.
If you develop elbow pain, call New Braunfels Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine or book an appointment online today.
