What Are The Possible Causes Of Pain From My Elbow To My Hand?
For starters, your elbow allows you to throw, lift, swing, and hug. Because it isn’t a simple joint, you can do everything. As a result, there are several possibilities for things to go wrong. Your elbow is made up of three bones: the humerus, which is your upper arm bone, and the ulna and radius, which are the two bones that make up your forearm.
Cartilage covers the ends of the bones, allowing them to move against each other and absorb shocks. Ligaments, which are robust connective structures, keep them in place. Tendons connect your bones to your muscles, allowing you to move your arm in a number of different ways.
Any of these parts, as well as the nerves and blood vessels that surround them, might cause you pain if they are damaged.
Here are some of the possible causes of elbow pain:
Wear and tear that comes with aging
Aging may provide wisdom, but it also has an impact on joint health. Because the cartilage that separates your joints wears down over time, enabling the bones to rub together, you may have arm or hand pain. Osteoarthritis is the more frequent name for this ailment.
However, it isn’t just your cartilage and joints that are affected. Degeneration of the tissue can also cause tears in your rotator cuff, which is a set of tendons that maintain your arm and shoulder in place. A rotator cuff tear can produce shoulder pain that spreads down the arm, limiting your ability to utilize your arm. Your dominant hand is frequently affected as well by the degeneration.
Tennis elbow
Tennis elbow happens when your elbow is overworked. Tennis elbow can be caused by racquet sports like tennis, but it can also be caused by other activities. Tennis elbow occurs when the tendons connecting your forearm muscles to the bones on the outside of your elbow become inflamed. Tennis elbow symptoms can be relieved with rest, NSAIDs, physical therapy, steroid injections, and the usage of braces, according to orthopedic professionals. If 6 to 12 months of conservative therapies fail to alleviate symptoms, surgery may be required.
Golfer’s elbow
Golfer’s elbow, like tennis elbow, is an overuse ailment that produces inflammation and pain in your elbow’s tendons. Golfer’s elbow, unlike tennis elbow, generates pain on the inside of the elbow. Rest, NSAIDs, stretching and strengthening exercises, and the use of a splint to support your elbow are all recommended by orthopedic doctors. Injections of corticosteroids may also provide brief relief.
Repetitive motion or overuse
Repetitive activities like throwing or lifting weights can cause damage to the elbow joint, particularly the tendons. The following are some examples of repetitive motion elbow injuries:
- Tendonitis – Tendonitis is an inflammatory condition that affects the thick fibrous fibers that connect your muscles to your bones. Repeating the same motion over and over again might cause inflammation in any of your arm or hand’s tendons.
- Medial epicondylitis – When minute tears form in the tendons that link to the medial epicondyle, it is known as medial epicondylitis, or golfer’s elbow. Repetitive actions and overuse cause these tears.
- Lateral epicondylitis – Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is an overuse ailment that causes microscopic tears in the tendons on the outer edge of the elbow.
Olecranon Bursitis
Bursitis is an inflammation of a fluid-filled sac called a bursa, which is a commonTrusted Source disease. The bursa that resides between the bony end of the elbow and the skin is affected by olecranon bursitis. Swelling of the olecranon bursa can be caused by a number of reasons. These can include the following:
- a forceful impact or injury to the elbow
- underlying infection or inflammatory health condition
- prolonged pressure on the tip of the elbow
Are You Looking for Relief From Elbow, Wrist, and Hand Pain?
Pace Physical Therapy in San Jose, California specializes in non-surgical neck pain relief and recovery therapies. We pride ourselves on offering the best possible physical therapy available and going above and beyond for our patients. Our highly experienced physical therapist will work with you to improve your function and relieve your pain. We start by assessing the body as a whole. Oftentimes the cause of pain or an injury extends far beyond just the body part or muscle hurting. Without taking a comprehensive look at your entire self, we would be doing you a disservice in fully helping you heal and preventing future limitations. We then move on to fixing your areas of limitation. Don’t let your quality of life be diminished by elbow, wrist, or hand pain any longer! If you are looking for a San Jose, CA physical therapist, contact Pace Physical Therapy today to make an appointment and meet with one of our committed team members. We would be delighted to get you back to the safe and physically active life that you deserve! Contact us today to schedule your appointment!
