Elbow Pain Relief

Our hands are amongst the most important parts of our body. Now, it would be childish to explain, how important our hands are to us? It is due to the virtue of our hands, that we remain self dependent. Our busy schedules hardly give us time to relax and rest our body parts (except during the night!). We are doing something or the other and we are physically as well as mentally busy for the entire day. It is quite possible, that in the pursuit of performing well and accomplishing various tasks, we put a lot of pressure and stress on our body parts. And our hands are not an exception to it! The human hand is made up of several parts such as the wrist, elbow, arms, fingers and forearms. All of these parts are prone to pain, if we tend to overuse them and ignore rest.

When one speaks of elbow pain, discomfort is the first thing that comes to my mind. I can actually imagine, my elbows paining and me facing difficulties in each and every work. The human elbow is actually a meeting point of three bones, humerus (bone of the upper arm), and ulna and radius of the forearm. Elbow pain is mostly caused due to excessive stress on the elbow muscles. However, these are not the only reasons leading to it. There are a few more and we will look into them. Further, we will also talk about elbow pain relief, which forms the focus of our discussion.

Elbow Pain Causes
Apart from overusing elbow muscles, some of the most probable causes of elbow pain are given below.

    * Fracture: Fracture can also be figured as a common reason for elbow pain. Fractures occuring in the humerus cause pain while flexion of the arm. However, most of the cases of elbow pain, show a fracture in the radial head. Common symptoms of fracture include, bruising, damage to the blood vessels and if not treated promptly it dislocates the elbow joint permanently.
    * Olecranon Bursitis: The condition of olecranon bursitis is characterized by, inflammation in bursa, which is a connective tissue. Pain is felt at the tip of the elbow and it intensifies on movement.
    * Dislocation of the Elbow Joint: A severe injury or a fracture can lead to dislocation of the elbow joint, thereby contributing to elbow pain in the individual. Elbow dislocation also affects elbow movements, as the pain tends to increase, when the elbow is used.
    * Arthritis: Arthritis which leads to joint pain in an individual, also leads to elbow pain, by causing stiffness in elbow joints. This condition is mostly found in middle aged and elder people.

Elbow Pain Treatment
Elbow pain needs to be treated promptly, before it leads to further damage or result in complications such as, permanent dislocation. Here are the remedies for elbow pain.

    * Ice Pack Treatment: This is a commonly followed and also amongst the most effective treatment for elbow pain relief. Apply an ice pack on the pain area and then keep it for about 10 – 20 minutes. Pain will subside in some days.
    * Stretches: Stretches also work and you not only can treat elbow pain, but also prevent it. Straighten your arm, with your palm facing upwards. Now, rest your other hand on the straightened hand and then try to press it down, as if you are pushing your fingers down. Keep your hand straight in the entire stretch. Hold the position for about 15 – 20 seconds and then repeat with the other hand. You can consult a doctor for advanced stretching exercises to treat elbow pain.
    * Rest: This is the easiest of all the remedies. Discontinue with your rigorous activities that have caused elbow pain. Rest your elbow for some days, by not lifting anything heavy.
    * Medications: Doctors might prescribe pain killers and anti-inflammatory medications for elbow pain relief. However, for serious or complicated cases, an elbow surgery might be advised.