What are the most common elbow diseases?
The elbow is a complex mechanism, which is represented by the connection of three bones (humerus, radius, ulna). Important blood vessels and nerve endings pass through it. Without realizing it, subjecting it to colossal stress in everyday life, people may increasingly encounter diseases of the elbow joint. Although the damage does not put the patient in mortal danger, it worsens the quality of life to a greater extent. Despite the periodic pain that bothers the elbow area, people attribute them to overwork, accidental bruises, the weather, and treat themselves by taking pills, applying compresses and using folk remedies. Unfortunately, in most cases, this leads to complications, loss of sensation and freedom of movement. Important! To determine the diagnosis, you need to consult a specialist.
Diseases of the elbow joints can be varied and the list of them is quite large:
- Various occupational injuries.
- Diseases caused by inflammation: tendonitis, epicondylitis, fasciitis, arthritis.
- Neurological diseases: nerve root lesions, carpal tunnel syndrome, neuritis, etc.
- Due to changes in tissues, both cartilage and bone: osteoarthritis, gout, chondrocalcinosis, osteochondrosis.
How is the elbow x-ray procedure performed?
An X-ray of the elbow of an adult or a child (if this procedure is unavoidable for diagnosis) does not require prior preparation. It is painless and can be done in just a few seconds.
The patient is seated near the X-ray machine table. Then they place his arm on the table, bending it at the elbow, and take a picture. Next, several more photographs can be taken in other projections (for example, with the arm straightened).
Do not move your hand while scanning. This will harm the quality of the photo.
To protect against unnecessary radiation, the patient is wearing a special lead vest.
Main diseases of the elbow joint and their treatment
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is an inflammatory process that occurs in the joint and involves a disruption of immune processes in the body.
Symptoms of the disease are: pain, malaise, swelling due to excess synovial fluid, increased temperature in the affected area, vomiting, muscle aches, etc. There are two forms of arthritis: acute and chronic. The presence of this diagnosis can be confirmed by an orthopedic doctor
after examination with palpation, and then referred for hardware examination - radiography, magnetic resonance, or computed tomography to determine the presence and localization of the inflammatory process.
“Ten percent of elbow pain is due to arthritis.”
Basically, the patient is prescribed conservative therapy, which consists of taking medications, physical therapy, and physiotherapeutic procedures.
Surgery is used in severe cases when the disease is already too advanced. Ulnar epicondylitis
Epicondylitis is a disease that is quite common in the musculoskeletal system.
It often occurs due to the patient’s professional activity associated with overload. This problem affects musicians, surgeons and massage therapists, athletes, builders, as well as those professions where the emphasis is on the hands. Damage to muscle tissue and ligaments is a characteristic of epicondylitis, the appearance of which is provoked by constant overload of the elbow, trauma and microtrauma, and impaired local circulation. Treatment consists of eliminating pain, restoring full movement, and preventing muscle atrophy. Physiotherapy is an integral part of recovery. Magnetic therapy, dynamotherapy, and infrared radiation are beneficial with conservative treatment along with medication. Therapeutic exercises are also indicated to improve blood circulation and metabolic processes, which contributes to better absorption of medications and vitamins taken. Exercises should be performed daily, increasing the duration of exercise and load according to the schedule prescribed by the doctor. If conservative methods do not help within 3 months, then surgical intervention will be required. Advice.
To prevent the appearance and further development of epicondylitis, you need to have the right approach to physical activity, follow the rules of doing exercises, warm up before activity, avoid monotonous movements that load the joint, and also take complex vitamins regularly. Tunnel syndrome
Another problem of the elbow joint, which manifests itself as a pinched nerve, is tunnel syndrome. Compression of the nerve occurs due to inflammation of the ligamentous apparatus, incorrect positioning of the hand during physical activity, when working at a personal computer, playing sports, etc. The main signs of carpal tunnel syndrome are:
- numbness;
- tingling in fingers;
- shooting pain;
- muscle weakness and atrophy, cut.
Carpal tunnel syndrome can lead to loss of motor characteristics in the arm. Correct and timely consultation with a doctor is important here. The disease often requires surgical intervention, since conservative methods are possible only in the initial stages. During therapy, agents are used that increase blood circulation, reduce swelling and improve metabolic processes. An important part of non-surgical recovery is physical therapy aimed at strengthening muscles. Elbow arthrosis
Arthrosis is a disease that occurs in people over 45 years of age. Tennis players, writers, violinists, pianists, drivers and women with hormonal changes are the main risk group. The causes of arthrosis are metabolic disorders, poor diet, chronic diseases (gastritis, tonsillitis, cholecystitis), inflammation due to infections entering the joint capsule, diseases of the endocrine system, etc.
Symptoms are divided into 4 groups: 1. pain when bending and straightening the arm; 2. crunching, which occurs as a result of bone friction; 3. restriction of movement in the joint; 4. modification of the shape of the elbow. To treat arthrosis, you must follow the following instructions:
- performing development exercises;
- refusal of loads on the sore arm;
- To reduce pain and inflammation, you need to take medications;
- in cases where the disease is advanced, surgery is required, but only in cases where conservative methods cannot help.
For arthrosis, it is advisable to adhere to a diet. It should be regular and varied.
The following should be removed from the patient’s diet:
- hot, spicy dishes;
- sparkling water, yeast dough, peas;
- rich broths;
- smoked fish and meat;
- strong teas and coffee.
Limit consumption:
- table salt (use sea salt);
- conservation;
- animal by-products (lungs, kidneys, tongue).
Be sure to include in your diet:
- jelly (no dyes);
- lean meats in gelatin, jellied fish;
- sufficient amount of water;
- vitamin and microelement complex;
- products containing calcium, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, zinc, sulfur, vitamins B and C.
3.Causes of bone spurs
Wear and tear of articular cartilage.
In some cases, the appearance of bone spurs in a person is part of the aging of his body.
Over time, the cartilage that covers the ends of the bones inside joints wears down and wears out, so that it can no longer perform its primary function of reducing friction between joints. Loss of elasticity, hardening of cartilage and increased susceptibility to damage indicate the development of osteoarthritis
. A consequence of the progression of this disease is the formation of bone spurs.
Excessive pressure
.
Bone tumors appear on the feet most often due to ligament pressure, which is observed during dancing, long running, as well as due to uncomfortable shoes or excess body weight. The result of an unbalanced load on the foot can be inflammation of the long ligament located at its base. This process is medically called plantar fasciitis
.
It is characterized by redness of the heel, its inflammation, followed by the formation of a bone growth known as a heel spur
. As noted above, it develops mainly in women who prefer high-heeled shoes, as well as in athletes and dancers.
Bone spur
– a growth that forms on top of the bone under the influence of external factors: friction, pressure and strong physical activity. It is a natural, physiological phenomenon, in some cases manifested only by external defects, and sometimes accompanied by severe and painful pain and requiring urgent treatment!
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Injuries
Injuries are quite dangerous violations of the integrity of the elbow. They can be considered bruises, fractures and dislocations, and quite often they are accompanied by damage to blood vessels and nerves. After injury, before the regeneration period begins, the patient experiences severe pain, hematomas, ruptured tendons and deformities. As a result of the bruise, arthrosis or other problems may develop. The main injury to the elbow is a dislocation. It is necessarily accompanied by a bone fracture. A dislocation is accompanied by severe elbow pain, stiffness, and a person loses sensation in the wrist. Damage of this kind requires immediate consultation with a doctor and an x-ray of the elbow joint, which will show the extent of the damage, whether the muscles and nerve endings are affected. The doctor will restore the correct position by reduction, if possible, and apply a plaster splint. If the nerve has been damaged or the coronoid process is fractured, then treatment can only be surgical. Tissue bruising can occur due to a push, compression or blow to the elbow area. Symptoms of a bruise are pain when moving, bruises, increased skin temperature at the site of impact, and swelling. A bruise also requires consultation with a doctor.
Why do spurs appear on the elbow?
Bone growth is a slow process. This pathology is never primary, that is, the spur will not appear on an initially healthy elbow joint. Factors that trigger bone growth include various diseases or injuries to the elbow.
Most patients have a history of at least one of the following:
- arthrosis or arthritis:
- joint bone fractures;
- elbow dislocations:
- sprains or tears of ligaments and tendons.
The incidence of elbow spurs in older people can be explained by metabolic disorders in the body. The cavity of the elbow joint is lined with cartilage, which acts as a shock absorber and prevents friction of the elbow bones when moving the arm. Normally, articular cartilage should be strong and elastic, but with age it begins to break down. In this case, the main load falls not on the cartilage, but on the surface of the bones of the joint. The body turns on compensatory mechanisms and replaces the lost cartilage tissue with bone tissue.
People whose profession involves manual work are at risk. These could be mechanics, builders, musicians or conductors. Sports also affect the functionality of the joint, especially those types that involve the hands (tennis, volleyball, basketball). In some patients, spurs may appear due to a bruise or fall on the elbow, which they no longer remember at the time of their appointment with the doctor.
Traditional methods of treating diseases of the elbow joint
We must not forget about the methods that our ancestors used to eliminate pain in bone joints. Attention! The use of these methods should be carried out as an aid to the main treatment, and not as a replacement for it. Let's look at the most effective treatment methods. 1. Rubbing the damaged area with tinctures of Kalanchoe and propolis; 2. Drink decoctions of chamomile, dandelion or St. John's wort; 3. Apply various compresses; blue clay is considered effective; 4. Baths with pine needles or sea salt; 5. Grind honey with apple cider vinegar. By following simple rules, eating right, without injuring or loading the limb, you can not only cure diseases that may appear in the elbow joint, but also completely prevent their reappearance.
