Are you struggling with chronic elbow pain? Dr. Calvert at the Institute of Orthopedics, Spine & Sports in Linden, NJ, is here to help. With extensive experience and qualifications, Dr. Calvert offers professional care specifically designed to address your condition. The goal is to develop effective strategies to manage your elbow pain and improve your quality of life. Don’t let pain limit your daily activities any longer—regain your freedom of movement with Dr. Calvert’s expertise and holistic wellness approach.
Say goodbye to persistent elbow pain and the limitations it brings. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Calvert by calling us at (973)-922-9515 during normal business hours and take the first step towards a pain-free life.
Causes of Elbow Pain
Elbow pain is not uncommon, and there are numerous causes for this mainly depending on the acute or chronic type of injury. The following are some of the most common causes:
1. Overuse Injuries
- Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis): This condition develops because of engaging in activities that place stress on the forearm muscles and the tendons causing inflammation together with pain in the outer area of the elbow.
- Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis): Like tennis elbow, it is also an overuse injury but instead of the outer region of the elbow, the inside region is affected.
2. Acute Injuries
- Sprains and Strains: Acute injuries are usually falls and direct impacts to the elbow that may result in ligament (sprains) or muscle or tendon (strains) injuries.
- Fractures: An injury of one of the bones that makes the elbow joint, which mostly results from injury or a fall.
3. Inflammatory Conditions
- Bursitis: This is a bursa inflammation that is fluid-filled and cushion-like structures in the body that aid in decreasing friction between bones and other structures in the body leading to elbow pains and swelling.
- Tendonitis: Swelling of the tendons in the region of the elbow from overuse or injury.
4. Degenerative Conditions
- Arthritis: These two diseases lead to the wearing down of the cartilage, which is a component of the elbow, and it results in pain, stiffness, and reduced movements.
5. Nerve Compression
- Cubital Tunnel Syndrome: Pressure on the ulnar nerve located near the inner joint of the elbow can lead to elbow, forearm, and finger soreness, and pins and needles sensations.
Symptoms of Elbow Pain
When considering the aches in the elbow, they may be primary or secondary, which means that some factors influence their manifestation. Common symptoms include:
1. Pain and Tenderness
- Localized Pain: Discomfort is usually on the lateral or medial aspect of the elbow and is related to given tasks or movements.
- Generalized Pain: Chronic shoulder pain that can be dull and aching, stabbing, or sharp; is usually localized to the shoulder joint but may also be in the arm from the elbow to the hand.
2. Swelling and Redness
- Swelling: Any tender, warm, and red localized enlargement around the joint where the bones of the upper arm connect with the forearm bones, otherwise called the olecranon.
- Redness: Squaring off the skin over the bend of the elbow which may be indicative of either inflammation or infection.
3. Stiffness and Reduced Range of Motion
- Stiffness: The inability to move the elbow joint as fluid as one would want to; a feeling of rigidity of the joint.
- Reduced Range of Motion: Not being able to either bend or straighten the elbow, sticking to certain positions, or restricted mobility.
4. Numbness and Tingling
- Numbness: Paresthesia or numbness of the elbow, forearm, or fingers is a common symptom often accompanying a compressed nerve.
- Tingling: Articular sensation of the hand as in the cases of cubital tunnel syndrome when a patient experiences a tingling sensation known as ‘pins and needles.
Diagnosis of Elbow Pain
The right diagnosis of elbow pain is highly informative for the further course of recovery. In the Institute of Orthopedics, Spine, & Sports, the professionals utilize clinical assessment and diagnostic methods in trying to identify the cause of elbow pains. Here are the key steps in the diagnostic process:
1. Medical History
The initial procedure that should be considered when managing a client with elbow pain is taking a comprehensive history. The physician is likely to inquire about the qualities of the onset, duration, and characteristics of the client’s pain, injuries, health conditions, and activities that create pain.
2. Physical Examination
During the physical examination, the physician will:
- Inspect the Elbow: Its symptoms include signs of inflammation that is reddening, puffiness, or bulge.
- Palpate the Elbow: Palpate gently the different parts of the elbow to find which of the areas is painful.
- Assess Range of Motion: Assess the articulation and joint movements of the elbow area of the patient.
- Test Muscle Strength: As many cases are related to muscle imbalances it is required to check the muscles around the elbow area for any signs of weakness.
3. Imaging Studies
Radiographic examination may always be required to reach the diagnosis and also in the determination of the severity of the injury or condition. Common imaging techniques include:
- X-rays: X-rays give more information on bones and if there is a fracture, dislocation, or signs of arthritis.
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): MRI produces detailed images of soft tissues like tendons, ligaments, and muscles and hence is useful in conditions such as tendonitis, bursitis, and ligament injuries.
- Ultrasound: Soft tissues indicative of pathology can also be visualized using ultrasound and the procedure can also be used to guide the physician during procedures like injections.
Injection Therapies for Elbow Pain
In the Institute of Orthopedics, Spine, & Sports, some of the injections employed are unique to cure particular elbow conditions. These are conservative treatments meant to help in the management of pain, minimize inflammation, and support the body’s ability to heal.
Corticosteroid Injections
Steroids in the form of injections are often used for treating conditions that are characterized by inflammation in the elbow. These injections administer an effective anti-inflammatory drug to the area that is causing discomfiture, this yields quick symptomatic relief. Anti-inflammatory drugs, specifically corticosteroids prevent the inflammation that leads to swelling and pain. They are useful in middle conditions like tennis elbow, golfer elbow, and bursitis. The injection is given through the skin directly on the area of inflammation mostly using ultrasound for accurate delivery of injection.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
PRP treatment is a form of regenerative medicine that employs the healing abilities of the patient’s blood for the healing of tissue injuries. PRP is carried in the patient’s blood containing a high degree of growth factors and platelets that leads to healing and formation of new tissue. The process comprises of blood sample from the patient and thereafter subjecting it to centrifugation to obtain the concentration of the platelet-rich plasma. This concentrated plasma is then injected into the area in which a healing process needs to occur or is already occurring. It is recommended for treating persistent tendon disorders like the tennis elbow and the golfer’s elbow.
Botulinum Toxin (Botox) Injections
This substance, familiar as Botox, is well-known as a cosmetic product that can be used for smoothing facial wrinkles but is equally efficient for some types of elbow pain. Botox works by binding to muscle nerve cells preventing the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from being released and initiating muscle contraction. This action results in the muscles relaxing and reduction in the pain and thus is very useful in the treatment of disorders such as chronic lateral epicondylitis, and tennis elbow, where muscle spasms and overuse are considered to be the main causes. The injection is given intramuscularly or subcutaneously around the elbow and sometimes utilizes ultrasound guidance.
Biologic Injections (Stem Cell Therapy)
Stem cell therapy is another form of regenerative therapy with higher sophistication because it uses the patient’s stem cells to restore damaged tissues. In this procedure, stem cells are obtained from the patient’s bone marrow or adipose tissue, then, the cells are implanted to the affected part of the body. These cells have the amazing capacity to transform into diverse forms of tissues depending on the body’s requirements, repair, and decrease inflammation. It is cost-effective for conditions of the elbow such as chronic tendinitis, arthritis, and other forms of degenerative conditions.
The harvested stem cells are then purified, and this is followed by concentration before undergoing injection into the elbow joint depending on the procedure; ultrasound may be used to increase accuracy.
Prolotherapy
Prolotherapy or regenerative injection therapy is the process of injecting a solution as often as dextrose into the area of the joint to induce an inflammatory response and promote healing. This treatment is applied to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that have been stretched and pulled to increase their competency. The solution injected makes the area targeted feel inflamed or irritated and, in the process, the body moves in to repair the tissues that make up that area through inflammation. Prolotherapy is effective for post-traumatic and overuse syndromes of tendon and ligament origin such as tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow. Prolotherapy solutions are given at the area of pain, commonly using ultrasound to localize the area of injection.
Benefits of Injection Therapies
Injection therapies offer several advantages over traditional treatments, including:
- Minimally Invasive: These treatments are not as aggressive as surgeries therefore they take a shorter time to heal, and there are minimal complications.
- Targeted Relief: Here injections are used because they allow giving the medication directly at the site of pain and at the same time, they are effective.
- Reduced Inflammation: Some injections, for instance, corticosteroids, and platelet-rich plasma are manufactured for the same purpose of reducing inflammation which is the major cause of pain.
- Promotes Healing: PRP and prolotherapy are some of the regeneration treatments that not only help with a patient’s pain but also help the body repair itself.
Conclusion
Elbow pain can be debilitating, but it doesn’t have to be a permanent part of your life. At the Institute of Orthopedics, Spine, & Sports in Linden, NJ, we offer cutting-edge injection therapies that provide effective and lasting relief. Whether you’re dealing with tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, or other elbow-related conditions, our expert team is here to help you regain your mobility and live pain-free. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards a pain-free future.