Dirsək ağrısı

Dirsək ağrısı və ya Tennisçi dirsəyi nədir?

Tennisçi dirsəyi və ya lateral epikondilit, təkrarlanan stress (həddindən artıq istifadə) nəticəsində yaranan dirsək oynağının ağrılı iltihabıdır. Ağrı dirsəyin kənarında (yan tərəfində) olur, lakin ön çiyinin arxasına yayıla bilər. 

Qolu tam açanda və ya tam uzadarkən ağrı hiss edilir.

What causes tennis elbow?

The tendon is the part of a muscle that attaches to the bone. Forearm tendons attach the forearm muscles to the outer bone of the elbow. Tennis elbow often occurs when a specific muscle in the forearm — the extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) muscle — is damaged. The ECRB helps raise (extend) the wrist.

Repetitive stress weakens the ECRB muscle, causing extremely tiny tears in the muscle’s tendon at the point where it attaches to the outside of the elbow. These tears lead to inflammation and pain.

Tennis elbow can be triggered by any activity that involves repetitive twisting of the wrist. These activities may include:

  • tennis and other racquet sports
  • swimming
  • golfing
  • turning a key
  • frequently using a screwdriver, hammer, or computer

 

SYMPTOMS

What are the symptoms of tennis elbow?

You may experience some of the following symptoms if you have tennis elbow:

  • elbow pain that is mild at first but gradually gets worse
  • pain extending from the outside of the elbow down to the forearm and wrist
  • a weak grip
  • increased pain when shaking hands or squeezing an object
  • pain when lifting something, using tools, or opening jar

 

Tennis elbow is usually diagnosed during a physical exam. Your doctor will ask you about your job, whether you play any sports, and how your symptoms developed. They will then perform some simple tests to help make a diagnosis. Your doctor may apply some pressure to the spot where the tendon attaches to the bone to check for pain. When the elbow is straight and the wrist is flexed (bent toward the palm side), you’ll feel pain along the outer side of the elbow as you extend (straighten) the wrist.

Your doctor may also order imaging tests, such as an X-ray or MRI scan, to rule out other disorders that can cause arm pain. These include arthritis of the elbow. These tests are not usually necessary to make a diagnosis.

 

TREATMENT

How is tennis elbow treated?

Nonsurgical interventions

About 80 to 95 percent of tennis elbow cases can be successfully treated without surgery. Your doctor will first prescribe one or more of the following treatments:

  • Rest: The first step in your recovery is to rest your arm for several weeks. Your doctor may give you a brace to help immobilize the affected muscles.
  • Ice: Ice packs placed over the elbow can help reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines: Over-the-counter medications, such asaspirin and ibuprofen, can help reduce pain and swelling.
  • Physical therapy: A physical therapist will use various exercises to strengthen the muscles of your forearm and promote healing. These may include arm exercises, ice massage, and muscle-stimulating techniques.
  • Ultrasound therapy: In ultrasound therapy, an ultrasound probe is placed over the most painful area on your arm. The probe emits high-frequency sound waves into the tissues for a set period of time. This type of treatment can help reduce inflammation and speed up recovery.
  • Steroid injections: Your doctor may decide to inject a corticosteroid medication directly into the affected muscle or where the tendon attaches to the bone at the elbow. This can help reduce inflammation.
  • Shock wave therapy: This is an experimental treatment that delivers sound waves to the elbow to promote the body’s own healing process. Your doctor may or may not offer this therapy.
  • Platelet-rich plasma injection: This is a treatment possibility that seems quite promising and is being used by some physicians. However, it is usually not covered by insurance companies presently.

 

How can tennis elbow be prevented?

There are a number of ways to help prevent tennis elbow, including:

  • making sure you’re using the right equipment and proper technique for each sport or task
  • performing exercises that maintain the strength and flexibility of the forearm
  • icing your elbow following intense physical activity
  • resting your elbow if it’s painful to bend or straighten your arm

If you take these steps and avoid putting strain on the tendons of your elbow, you can lower your chances of getting tennis elbow or prevent it from coming back.

 

 

 

What is elbow osteoarthritis?

You might not be making millions off of your ability to throw a baseball, but that doesn’t make your elbow joint any less vital to your body. When your elbows hurt, the pain can be very bothersome, and it may prevent you from doing many of the things you love.

Baseball pitchers aren’t the only ones who should protect their elbows. Keep reading to learn about elbow osteoarthritis, what causes it, and what your treatment options are.

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms of elbow osteoarthritis

Everyone who has osteoarthritis (OA) experiences a variety of symptoms. Some symptoms may be more intense or occur more frequently than others occur.

The following symptoms are the most common:

  • stiffness
  • pain
  • difficulty moving the joint
  • bone spurs
  • bone grating or scraping
  • joint locking
  • joint instability
  • joint swelling

CAUSES

Causes of elbow osteoarthritis

Wear and tear in your joints damages and destroys the protective cartilage that covers the ends of the bones. Without cartilage protecting the bones, they begin to rub against each other. They may become deformed, swollen, and painful.

Any joint in your body can develop OA, including your:

  • knees
  • toes
  • fingers
  • hips
  • elbows

The elbow is one of the joints less commonly affected by OA. That’s because the ligaments in the elbow are strong enough to stabilize the joint so that it can withstand blows and damage better than some other joints in the body can.

 

RISK FACTORS

Who is at risk for osteoarthritis?

OA is one of the top causes of disability in older adults. Anyone can develop the condition, but some people are more likely to develop it because of their lifestyle, occupation, or habits. People who are more likely to develop elbow OA include:

  • middle-aged men who regularly perform strenuous manual activity, such as shoveling or hammering
  • people with a history of injury or fracture to the elbow
  • older people
  • people whose family members have OA

 

 

DIAGNOSIS

How is osteoarthritis diagnosed?

During a physical examination, your doctor will inspect your elbows for obvious signs of damage or injury. They’ll ask you to perform range-of-motion tests to evaluate the mobility and instability of the joint.

Your doctor may request X-rays to check for a fracture or crack that might be causing your symptoms. An X-ray will detect any bone fragments that may have broken off as a result of OA. They will also look for a loss of joint space, which indicates a loss of cartilage. Blood work may be requested to detect other causes of arthritis. If no other cause is found, your doctor may diagnose your symptoms as elbow OA.

 

TREATMENT

How is osteoarthritis treated?

Doctors typically suggest nonsurgical treatments first. These include:

  • Activity restriction: Avoid activities that aggravate the joint. Rest between periods of exercise or activity.
  • Pain management pills: Some over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, including acetaminophen and ibuprofen, can reduce the pain caused by OA.
  • Prescription medications: If OTC pain medicines aren’t effective, your doctor may prescribe prescription drugs. Steroid injections also can help ease pain.
  • Physical therapy: Gentle exercises and heat or cold therapy may be helpful in easing pain. Splints can reduce stress in the affected joint by gently supporting it.

Surgical treatments

If lifestyle treatments aren’t successful, your doctor may perform one of several surgical options in order to ease the symptoms of elbow OA. Surgical options include:

  • Synovectomy: A surgeon removes damaged pieces of the synovium, a thin layer of tissue that surrounds each joint.
  • Arthroscopy: A surgeon uses a small instrument to remove bone fragments, damaged cartilage, and bone spurs from the joint.
  • Osteotomy: A surgeon removes sections of the bone to ease symptoms and reduce the bone-on-bone contact.
  • Arthroplasty: The surgeon replaces the damaged joint with an artificial one.

 

PREVENTION

Can osteoarthritis be prevented?

You can try to prevent elbow OA by protecting your elbows and your joints. Most peoplediagnosed with elbow OA have a history of damage, such as a fracture, ligament injury, or dislocation in the joint. The more damage your joint endures, the greater your risk for problems like OA.

In some cases, continuous use of the joint can cause elbow OA. Occupations or hobbies that require continuous use of your elbow can lead to an OA diagnosis later in life.

OUTLOOK

What is the outlook for elbow osteoarthritis?

Your elbow is an important, complex joint that affects your whole arm. Damage from elbow OA often can’t be reversed, but treatment and lifestyle modifications can help prevent painful symptoms and disease progression. The sooner you seek diagnosis and treatment, the sooner you can find relief and create a plan that can help you live without pain.