Elbow Pain Treatment for Ordinary People

Active individuals get more injuries than slugabeds. They don’t need to wear a jerseys or play professionally to get hurt while working out. Twisted ankles, sore hamstrings, even broken bones are common sports-related injuries. In most cases, these injuries can be treated with the RICE method, which is an acronym that stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. This familiar mnemonic is an effective treatment for most soft tissue injuries. Medical attention should be sought if there is any sign of damage to a bone, or if the pain and/or swelling cannot be managed with regular over-the-counter medications. Joint pain is especially troubling. When you hurt a major joint, such as the knee or elbow, the problem almost never gets better without treatment. In some cases, it may be possible to apply the RICE method, but in others, when the pain is caused by repetitive stress or strain, medical attention may be needed. The good news is that these repetitive stress injuries rarely require surgery. They will, however, require rest. Inside elbow pain Better known as golfer’s elbow, medial epicondylitis is an injury that causes pain on the inner side of the elbow, where the tendons attach the muscles to the bony protrusion called the olecranon. According to sports therapists, about half of all professional golfers suffer from it. The injury occurs because these athletes repeat the same motion hundreds of times each day, which eventually causes damage to the muscles, tendons, and bones of the elbow. Of course, you don’t have to be a professional golfer to suffer from inside elbow pain. In fact, only about five percent of people with golfer’s elbow actually play the game. Most are simply hard-working individuals who work jobs that require repetitive motions that can and often do result in inside elbow pain. Any action that involves flexing, gripping, and turning of the wrists and forearms can cause inside elbow pain. What actually happens is that the tiny tears develop in the tendons that make it uncomfortable, even painful to complete familiar motions. In athletes, golfer’s elbow can be caused by bowling, baseball, tennis, and golfing of course. For non-athletes, the condition can strike anyone who uses a hammer, screwdriver, paintbrush, or a garden rake. Elbow pain treatment Just like its cousin, tennis elbow (or lateral epicondylitis), golfer’s elbow is a form of tendinitis that affects the elbow. The damage it does to the tendons rarely requires surgical treatment. You simply need to abstain from the activity that caused the injury until it has healed completely. Once again, the RICE method is a safe and effective form of treatment. How it works First, you must rest the affected arm and avoid any activity that may aggravate the injury. Next, you should ice the sore areas for at least 15 to 20 minutes three times each day. Using a compression bandage may also help reduce swelling when paired with ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatories. Lastly, the arm should be elevated while at rest, since that will help promote healthy blood flow and diminish tumescence.