Is your elbow inflamed, sore and painful?
Elbow pain is a common issue for many folks and it is more prevalent in a sufferer’s dominant arm. Sadly, many people feel that there is nothing they can do except take anti-inflammatory medicines and rest.
This assumption is false!
The elbow is a joint, or meeting place, of three bones. Considered a ball-and-socket joint, here the bones form a cup shape around a slippery, gelatinous sac, allowing movement of the joint in more than one direction.
The complexity of bones, muscles and ligaments meeting at this joint, coupled with its range of motion, not to mention the range of everyday movements it provides, can sometimes cause parts of this joint to become irritated or inflamed. Irritation and inflammation are the two most common sources of elbow pain.
The causes for that irritation and inflammation are most often due to some combination of overexertion and overuse, infection, genetics, and/or degenerative diseases. Chances are also very good that the pain began during the course of physical activity or exercise.
“Golfer’s elbow” is a type of elbow pain that originates near the inside bulge area of the bone. A tear or rupture in the tendon supporting the elbow bone can also cause this type of pain.
“Locked elbow” is a type of pain that occurs when the elbow bones or their surrounding muscle fibers become stiff or immobile from disease or injury.
“Student’s elbow” is another term for bursitis, or swollen sacks under the elbow joint. This is often caused by repeated rubbing of the elbow on a hard surface, such as a desk.
“Carpal tunnel syndrome” usually affects the wrist, but it can cause elbow pain if an inflamed tendon pinches a nerve going to the elbow.
“Tendonitis” can also result in elbow pain and is caused by an elbow tendon that has become swollen or inflamed when the forearm tendon is damaged.
“Tennis elbow” is a layman’s term for pain on the lateral, or outside part of the elbow, on or near the bony protrusion. Tennis elbow is caused when the tendon from the elbow bone tears or is ruptured.
Chiropractic care helps treat aches, pains and other issues in every joint and muscle in the body and many patients find chiropractic treatment for elbow pain can be very effective.
Many people are surprised to learn that chiropractors treat parts of the body other than the spine, and one of the more common complaints (outside of pain associate with the spine) is a painful, weak and/or numb elbow region. The most common diagnosis of these complaints is the syndrome known as“Tennis Elbow.”
Chiropractic adjustments help to loosen the joints, decrease pain, restore proper movement and optimize function in the elbow joint.
A soft tissue therapy, known as “Muscle Release Therapy,” can reduce inflammation and muscle contractions within tissues (muscle knots) by helping to break up the tightness. It may involve either active or passive stretching, along with direct pressure to break up the stickiness within the muscles/tendons.
“Microcurrent” is an electrotherapeutic technique that can help decrease the inflammation and pain in the elbow area, and it also helps to accelerate the body’s natural healing ability.
Whether your pain is on the inside or outside of the elbow, or sport or work-related, chiropractic care can provide effective relief to get you back on track quickly and easily.
If the mechanics of the elbow are not set correctly and stabilized, surgery or injections will not be enough. Many find that these methods only temporarily reduce the problem and it recurs.
Reversing the cause and learning how to stay well through proper movement will help you heal more quickly and prevent future unnecessary injuries.
To learn more about chiropractic treatment for elbow pain, contact our office at 865.429.4404 for more information or to schedule a consultation.