About this topic
The elbow is where your upper arm bone meets the two lower bones in your arm. There is a bump on the inside of your elbow at the bottom of your upper arm bone. It is the medial epicondyle. A few tendons attach here. Tendons attach muscles to bone. These muscles are used to curl your wrist and fingers down. ‚
When these tendons get sore, swollen, and torn from overuse you have medial epicondylitis. It is also called golfers elbow. This is a common problem in golf players. It may also happen with other activities or sports. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Rest. Allow your injury to heal before you do slow movements.
- Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Ice after activity may help decrease pain and swelling. Never ice before stretching.
- Prop your elbow on pillows to help with swelling.
- Use a brace or strap around the elbow. It can lower pain and forces at the flexor tendons.
- Exercises
- Heat may be used later but not right away. Heat can make swelling worse. If your doctor tells you to use heat, put a heating pad on the painful part for no more than 20 minutes at a time. Never go to sleep with a heating pad on as this can cause burns.
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. Your doctor may send you to a specialist called an orthopedic surgeon. Your doctor may send you to physical therapy (PT) for treatments and exercises to help you heal faster. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
The doctor may give you a shot of an anti-inflammatory drug called a corticosteroid. This will help with swelling. Talk with your doctor about the risks of this shot. ‚
Will physical activity be limited?
You may need to rest your elbow for a while. You should not do physical activity that makes your health problem worse. If you work out or play sports, you may not be able to do those things until your health problem gets better. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Long-term elbow pain
- Injury returns
- Weak and tight muscles
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Stay active and work out to keep your muscles strong and flexible.
- Warm up slowly and stretch before you exercise. Use good training methods and form for sports. Have an expert look at your technique.
- When working out with weights, try to keep your elbow slightly bent instead of straightened all the way. Avoid lifting objects when your elbow is fully straightened.
- Take breaks often when doing things that use repeat movements.
- Take extra care when playing sports. Ask an expert for help when choosing equipment.
- Use a hammer with extra padding. Use two hands when using heavy tools.
- Keep a healthy weight so there is not extra stress on your joints.
When do I need to call the doctor?
Health problem is not better or you are feeling worse ‚
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
- I can tell you what I will do if I am not feeling better.
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons ‚
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00137 ‚
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. ‚