Elbow Pain?

Question

I hurt my elbow I think from maybe baseball or something not sure woke up hurting and played baseball 2 days before. It has gotten worse from baseball. The only way I can explain where it is is by making a fist and sticking it out stright forward with the thumb on the left side. The muscles on top right where the elbow is right around where it hurts. The pain is not constant though sometimes bending or raising my hand will make it hurt really bad but other times it is nothing. Thanks for the help.

Answer 1

There's a group of muscles right in front of the elbow and they are probably overused. Definitely take a break from baseball for a few days. You can apply a heating pad for twenty minutes and then massage a analgesic cream into the area. This will probably relax the muscle and take down the pain.

I recommend you see a chiropractor as they specialize in sports related injuries. I've enclosed a link where you can find a chiropractor in your area.

Answer 2

Hey man why don't u try the doctor and tell the doctor and the doctor could make an appointment that u could go to hospital. Then u could have an X ray and they will tell u what u could do with it. If it hurt so badly and u can't make to the doctor then put some ice one the elbow and the pain could come down for little wiled

Answer 3

I didn't even have to read your question. I have had the same problem with my elbow. It is called tennis elbow and that is when you use elbow for an extended amount of time.It come from all different things-gold,tennis,softball or baseball,typing almost anything. There are a couple of things you can do 1. ice-place an ice pack on your elbow for about 10-15 minutes. 2. Make sure that you don't loose any strength because when we hurt our body, we tend to not use that particular muscle. 3. you can always ask your doctor for a cortisone shot-that will relieve the pain too. Here is some more information about tennis elbow at the bottom.

Tennis Elbow
"Tennis elbow" is a common term for a condition caused by overuse of arm and forearm muscles that results in elbow pain. You don't have to play tennis to get this, but the term came into use because it can be a significant problem for some tennis players.

Tennis elbow is caused by either abrupt or subtle injury of the muscle and tendon area around the outside of the elbow. Tennis elbow specifically involves the area where the muscles and tendons of the forearm attach to the outside bony area (called the epicondyle) of the elbow. Your doctor may call this condition lateral epicondylitis. Another common term, "golfer's elbow," refers to the same process occurring on the inside of the elbow -- what your doctor may call medial epicondylitis. Overuse injury can also affect the back or posterior part of the elbow as well.



Tennis elbow most commonly affects people in their dominant arm (that is, a right-handed person would experience pain in the right arm), but it can also occur in the nondominant arm or both arms.

What Are the Symptoms of Tennis Elbow?
Symptoms of tennis elbow include:

Pain slowly increasing around the outside of the elbow. Less often, pain may develop suddenly.
Pain is worse when shaking hands or squeezing objects.
Pain is made worse by stabilizing or moving the wrist with force. Examples include lifting, using tools, or even handling simple utensils such as a toothbrush or knife and fork.
Who Gets Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow affects 1% to 3% of the population overall and as many as 50% of tennis players during their careers. Less than 5% of all tennis elbow diagnoses are related to actually playing tennis.

Tennis elbow affects men more than women. It most often affects people between the ages of 30 and 50, although people of any age can be affected.

Although tennis elbow commonly affects tennis players, it also affects other athletes and people who participate in leisure or work activities that require repetitive arm, elbow, and wrist movement. Examples include golfers, baseball players, bowlers, gardeners or landscapers, house or office cleaners (because of vacuuming, sweeping and scrubbing), carpenters, mechanics, and assembly-line workers.

How Is Tennis Elbow Diagnosed?
Tennis elbow cannot be diagnosed from blood tests or X-rays. Rather, it is diagnosed by the description of pain you provide to your doctor and certain findings from a physical examination.

Since many other conditions can cause pain around the elbow, it is important that you see your doctor so the proper diagnosis can be made. Then your doctor can prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Tennis elbow usually is successfully treated by medical means and only rarely requires surgery.

The type of treatment prescribed will depend on several factors, including age, type of other medications being taken, overall health, medical history, and severity of pain. The goals of treatment are to reduce pain or inflammation, promote healing, and decrease stress and abuse on the injured elbow.

How Is Pain and Inflammation Reduced?
To reduce the pan and inflammation of tennis elbow, try:

Rest and avoid any activity that causes pain to the sore elbow.
Apply ice to the affected area.
Take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen.
Cortisone-type medication may be injected into the sore area.
How Can I Promote Healing of My Injury?
This step begins a couple of weeks after pain has been reduced or eliminated. It involves specific physical-therapy exercises to stretch and strengthen muscles and tendons around the injured elbow. Any activity that aggravates the pain must be avoided.

How Do I Decrease Stress and Abuse on the Injury?
To help lesson the continued stress and abuse on the injury:

Use the proper equipment and technique in sports and on the job.
Use of a counter-force brace, an elastic band that wraps around the forearm just below the injured elbow (tendon) may help to relieve pain in some people.
What Is the Outlook for People With Tennis Elbow?
Overall, 90% to 95% of people with tennis elbow will improve and recover with the treatment plan described. However, about 5% of people will not get better with conservative treatment and will need surgery to repair the injured muscle-tendon unit around the elbow. For 80% to 90% of people who have surgery, it results in pain relief and return of strength.



Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases
Next Article: Arthritis Symptoms: The BasicsWhat Are the Symptoms of Osteoarthritis?Arthritis Symptoms: Should You Call a Doctor?Tool: Is Chronic Knee Pain Limiting Your Life?Tool: Are Health Problems Limiting Your Mobility?Arthritis TypesOsteoarthritis TypesTennis ElbowTrigger FingerTendinitisBursitisImpingement SyndromeRelated Guide: de Quervain's DiseaseScoliosis and Arthritis
WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic

SOURCES: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. WebMD Feature Article "Study Questions Support Bands for Tennis Elbow"





Edited by Marc C. Levesque, PhD, MD on February 01, 2007

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