About this topic
Your elbow joint is where three bones meet. The humerus is your upper arm bone. It meets with two bones in your forearm, the radius and ulna. Strong bands, or ligaments, hold all the bones together. The radial head is the part of the radius closest to the elbow. Sometimes, this bone slips out of its normal place, just a little. This is a radial head subluxation. If it slips all the way out of place, this is a radial head dislocation. ‚
Another common name for this injury is nursemaids elbow. It can happen when someone pulls on a child's arm or tries to lift the child by the arm. This injury most often happens in young children before 5 years of age. Older children's joints, ligaments, and muscles are stronger. They are often able to keep the radial head in place. If this injury is not treated, long-term damage can happen. ‚
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What are the causes?
- Pulling on a childs arm or lifting a child by the arm
- Falling on your arm, especially if your arm is straight when you fall
- Car crashes, when passengers hold their arms out in front of them to brace for a crash
- Rolling over in an odd way
What are the main signs?
- Child will not use or move the arm. Child may only move the shoulder or hand instead of the elbow.
- Elbow pain
- Elbow is in an odd position. Most often when stuck in a slightly bent position close to the body.
- Not able to hold the elbow straight
How does the doctor diagnose this health problem?
If the elbow is dislocated, a doctor can most often tell just by looking at the elbow. Your doctor will feel your elbow, forearm, and hand. This will help to find where the problem is and to check for numbness. Your doctor will also check your pulse in your wrist. This is to see if there is an injury to blood vessels. The doctor may order: ‚
- X-ray if the doctor is worried about a broken bone
- CT or MRI scan
How does the doctor treat this health problem?
The doctor will put the elbow joint back into place by moving the arm a certain way. This is called a closed reduction. ‚
Your doctor may order things to help with any elbow pain. These may include: ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Lift young children from under the arms.
- Never pick up or swing a child by the arms, wrists, or hands.
- Take extra care if you have dislocated your elbow in the past. You are more likely to dislocate the elbow again.
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons ‚
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00029 ‚
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/bones/nursemaid.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚