what kind of doctor to see for elbow pain

The elbow is a adequately complex structure made up of bones and joints, ligaments and tendons, muscles and nerves. When all of these parts piece of work together equally they should, the elbow allows you to flex and extent from the articulation and rotate your forearm and hand. The elbow's main part is to provide mobility while stabilizing the lower arm and hand.

When i or more than parts of the elbow – or whatever of its surrounding structures – are injured or non working properly, you're likely to feel elbow joint pain. While some elbow pain can be cured by home treatments, some elbow injuries exercise crave treatment from a medical professional.

Elbow Hurting Causes

Ane of the most mutual causes of elbow hurting is overuse. Many occupations, sports, hobbies and workouts require repetitive motions of the manus, wrist or arm that can lead to a diversity of overuse injuries. While tennis elbow and golfer'south elbow are common overuse injuries typically associated with their namesakes, y'all don't have to be a tennis histrion or golfer to endure from overuse injuries.

Painters, plumbers, cooks, musicians and anyone whose work requires repetitive motions with the hand, wrist or arm may experience elbow hurting. Likewise, elbow pain when lifting is common in people who regularly elevator weights or motility and lift things as function of their profession.

What type of doctor do yous see for elbow pain?

While some causes of elbow pain can exist treated with simple home care and residue, both common elbow injuries and more serious elbow injuries from impact and trauma may crave treatment by an elbow specialist.

Orthopedic elbow specialists are medical doctors that treat the musculoskeletal arrangement and take completed additional years of grooming focused specifically on the elbow. Depending on the injury and scope of treatment, evaluation past an orthopedic elbow surgeon may be necessary.

Common Elbow Injuries

Tennis Elbow

Officially known as lateral epicondylitis, tennis elbow is a repetitive stress injury where inflammation and possible microtears in the tendons that connect the muscles in the forearm to the outside of the elbow crusade outer elbow pain.

Golfer's Elbow

Golfer'south elbow, or medial epicondylitis, is a repetitive stress injury similar to lawn tennis elbow. Instead of outside elbow pain, golfer's elbow causes inner elbow pain due to damage to the muscles and tendons that control the wrist and fingers.

Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury

The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) stabilizes the inside of the elbow as it flexes and extends. UCL injuries are most often due to repetitive stress from overhead movement and are most common in athletes who compete in throwing sports. Baseball pitchers, in item, suffer from UCL tears that crave Tommy John surgery.

Biceps and Triceps Tendinitis

Biceps and triceps tendon injuries can occur about the shoulder, in the musculus in the middle of the upper arm or in the tendons that connect the biceps and triceps to the elbow. Tendinitis occurs when one or more of the biceps or triceps tendons are irritated or injured.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis of the elbow is commonly a "wear and tear" injury where the cartilage surface of the elbow is worn down or damaged, causing pain and stiffness. Elbow osteoarthritis can also result from previous trauma, such every bit a dislocated elbow, fractured arm or elbow fracture.

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

Cubital tunnel syndrome (likewise known every bit ulnar nerve entrapment) occurs when the ulnar nerve, which passes through a tunnel of os, ligament and muscle (cubital tunnel) on the inside of the elbow is irritated, bloated or inflamed.

Stress Fractures

Edgeless force trauma can crusade stress fractures to the olecranon (the cease of the ulna) at the signal of the elbow.

Confused Elbow

A dislocated elbow occurs when the basic of the forearm (ulna and radius) get out of place in relation to the upper arm os (the humerus). These three bones run into at the elbow joint and most dislocations occur from blunt strength trauma to the joint.

When to See a Medico for Elbow Pain

If yous have an obvious traumatic injury, such as a broken, protruding bone or a deformity in your elbow, y'all should seek emergency care.

Yous should call an orthopedic elbow specialist if:

You're having difficulty or are unable to move your elbow normally
You're unable to use your arm or rotate your paw and wrist
You're experiencing severe pain, bruising or swelling on or around your elbow joint

You should schedule an appointment with an elbow specialist if:

You lot're experiencing pain fifty-fifty when you're not using your arm
Your pain, swelling or redness increases
Your elbow pain doesn't improve with RICE (encounter below)
The type of pain changes
At that place is new swelling, redness or a lump on or around your elbow
The pain returns when you resume normal activities

Home Treatments

Depending on the injury, most elbow pain treatments tin can be done at home. The outset stride is to protect the elbow from farther injury – which means limiting repetitive movements, lifting, etc.

Once the elbow is protected, follow the RICE protocol.

Residue: Avoid the activeness that acquired the injury and stop all painful activities.
Water ice: If the elbow is swollen, employ ice for 15 to xx minutes one to three times a day to reduce swelling.
Compression:Follow icing with a compression bandage to help further reduce swelling.
Elevation. Continue the hand, wrist and elbow elevated.

If needed, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can exist used to relive pain and bring down swelling.

If you're experiencing elbow pain and would like to talk to ane of our orthopedic elbow surgeons, or if you accept questions most your elbow injury, please contact us or annotate beneath.

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Source: https://heidenortho.com/see-doctor-elbow-pain/