The causes and symptoms of epicondilitis of the elbow joint. Treatment of epicondilitis of the elbow joint. Folk remedies for the treatment of epicondilitis of the elbow joint

The epicondilitis of the elbow joint is called the inflammatory process, covering the muscles in the elbow.  Our article on how the disease is born and manifests itself. Also consider the methods of treatment and the forecast for returning to a healthy lifestyle.

The disease develops in the part of the elbow where the muscles braid the forearm. The localization of inflammation determines the form of pathology: the disease is internal and external. External inflammation is more common-today it is the most common violation in the operation of the musculoskeletal system. Looking ahead, we note which doctor is engaged in the epicondilitis of the elbow joint - an orthopedist or traumatologist will help to solve the problem.

Forms of epicondilitis of the elbow joint

External, or lateral epicondylite of the elbow joint

In professional circles, the disease is known as a “tennis player elbow”. When the shoulder muscles are systematically overwhelmed, the area of \u200b\u200bconnection of muscle fibers with the rowl covers inflammation. The tennis players and people who are engaged in monotonous physical work (paint walls, saw firewood) are well known to this disease). The age of patients ranges from 30 to 50 years.

Internal, or medial epicondylite of the elbow joint

Like the external epicondilitis of the elbow joint, this form of the disease has an unofficial name - “Holphist's elbow”. Inflammation appears due to long -term repeated swings or gestures (work with hand tools, bruises, dislocations or fractures of sports origin). Each movement of the muscles of the forearm, repeated countless times, can cause medial epicondylite of the elbow joint.

In the photo, we see what muscles suffer with different forms of epicondilitis of the elbow joint:

Causes of epicondilitis of the elbow joint

The basis of all the causes of the development of the disease is the active work of muscle tissue in the elbow. The following factors can contribute to the development of the focus of inflammation in the elbow:

1. Devotion for sports. Frequent and long classes in the gym, monotonous execution of the same type of movements cause microscopic cracking of tendons and overmuses. Almost always, lateral epicondilitis of the elbow joint is suffered by tennis players, and the medial form of the disease occurs in most golfs. Cloth this "three leaders" weightlifters, rods and weightlifers.
2. Injuries. Serious damage to the elbows becomes a fertile foundation for the development of epicondilitis in the future.
3. Excessive tension of the shoulder muscles and muscles of the forearm in people of certain professions: pianists, drivers, milkmaids, malyars, masseurs, movers, seamstresses.
4. Regular wearing heavy bags, business activities (for example, sawing firewood).
5. Congenital pathologies of the development of connective tissue.

Symptoms of epicondilitis of the elbow joint

The disease always chooses a dominant hand, that is, epicondylilite of the right elbow joint develops in right -handedness and vice versa.

The main indicator of inflammation is muscle pain in the shoulder and forearm, the echoes of which are felt in the hand. Its character may change: from aching to burning, from stupid to sharp. With external epicondilitis, discomfort appears when a person extends the forearm, with the inner one - when he bends his hand in the elbow joint.

Signs of epicondilitis of the elbow joint do not immediately appear. First, the severity occurs during movement with a struck hand (it seems to the person that he is just tired), and a little later during a calm rest. Sometimes shooting pain appears at the elbow suddenly, without preliminary discomfort. As a result, the symptoms of epicondilitis intensify so much that the patient cannot shake the outstretched hand when meeting, take a glass, hold the cutlery, etc.

By the nature of the course of the disease, several of its types are distinguished:

• acute - pain torments a person during active loads and does not back down even during rest periods;
• subacute - unpleasant sensations remind of themselves during work and pass in a period of rest;
• chronic - in the absence of timely treatment, the symptoms of the disease are preserved for 3 months.

In addition to pain, there is numbness of the sick hand, a tingling feeling and a feeling of goosebumps. Inflammation during epicondhylitis of the elbow joint prevents the patient from actively moving his hand, although with passive bending and extension of the limb in the area of \u200b\u200bthe forearm by another person there are no painful sensations. There are no them during sleep.

How to treat epicondidilite of the elbow joint: diagnostic features

In the formulation of the correct diagnosis, the doctor’s direct examination is of the greatest importance to the doctor, since blood tests with such a disease remain normal, the radiograph of the sick hand also does not show any deviations. Sometimes an x \u200b\u200b-ray for epicondilitis of the elbow joint reflects the deposition of calcium salts in the tendons, but this is possible only in very neglected cases of the disease.

In a personal conversation, the doctor clarifies the patient’s symptoms of malaise, and will surely be inquired by his profession and attitude to sports. On examination, the following samples will be performed:

• test Velta. The patient is offered to stretch his hands in front of him, open his palms and simultaneously turn them up and down. The palm of the affected hand when performing this task will noticeably lag behind;
• mobility test. Holding the patient’s elbow in a static position, the doctor invites the patient to turn the brush to the side. In the idea of \u200b\u200bthe test, the patient needs to return the brush to the starting position, overcoming the resistance of the doctor’s hand. If a person has epicondalite, his hand will pierce severe pain.

In superficial diagnosis, there is a possibility of confusing the epicondridit of the elbow joint with osteoarthritis, arthritis of the elbow joint, a fracture of the forearm bones, a fracture of the shoulder rumbles. However, with the help of additional diagnostic methods, in the further study, signs are revealed that are completely non -characteristic of the epicondilitis of the elbow joint:

• inactive joint movements are extremely painful if the patient has arthrosis or arthritis;
• there is swelling and redness on the skin in the joint;
• a blood test confirms the presence of an inflammatory process, rheumatological tests are positive if it is rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis;
•   Ultrasound joints of the joints shows the effusion (inflammatory) in the affected area;
• the x -ray of the joint detects arthrosis if the picture contains narrowing of the inter -mudflow gap, as well as a noticeable change in the bone surface of the joint. If a fracture occurs, the integrity of the bone is disturbed and in some cases fragments are displaced.

If, as a result of an additional examination, not one of the above signs was found, then the case will have to be done with epicondilitis.

Treatment of epicondilitis of the elbow joint

To return a person to a full life, comprehensive actions are needed to eliminate epicondilitis. First of all, a sore joint needs complete rest. Within 1 week, you can not play sports, economic affairs, energetic hand movements are prohibited. You should also relax from professional duties if they somehow affect inflammation at the elbow. Next, connect drug treatment and physiotherapeutic procedures.

Drug treatment of epicondilitis of the elbow joint

To eliminate the focus of inflammation in the sore joint, the patient is prescribed such funds:

• NSAID. Funds based on diclofenac, nimesulide, ibuprofen and meloxicam is recommended to take twice a day (in the form of tablets) or 3 - 4 times a day (if prescribed ointment). The course of treatment lasts an average of 10 - 14 days. Practice has shown that ointments with epicondilitis of the elbow joint are more effective than their analogues in the form of tablets;
• glucocorticosteroids with a pronounced anti -inflammatory effect: deiper, hydrocortisone and prednisone. For the manifestation of the therapeutic effect, 1 - 2 doses of these drugs per course of treatment are sufficient: one intramuscular injection is made in the area of \u200b\u200bthe patient's elbow. If the effect is absent, the second injection is made;
• local painkillers. With an epicondilite of the elbow joint, the injections of lidocaine, ultracaine and other analgesics are necessary to save a person from painful symptoms.

Physiotherapeutic treatment of epicondilitis of the elbow joint

Epicondidilite of the elbow joint is good to correct physiotherapeutic methods. Plots of inflamed muscle tissue are remarkably responded to the effects of physical forces - this is manifested by an improvement in blood circulation, as well as accelerated healing of microcracks in an injured elbow. The course of treatment lasts about 1 week. These are the procedures relevant:

•   impulse magnetotherapy - the joint is treated with magnetic pulses of low frequency;
•   applications based on paraffin and ozkerite;
• diadinamotherapy - to relieve inflammation at the elbow, use an electricity of different polarity;
• electrophoresis with analgesic - in this way, the active substance of the drug reaches the deepest fibers of the sick muscle;
• infrared laser radiation;
• cryotherapy - the elbow for a certain time is treated with a powerful stream of dry and cold air.

Orthopedic devices for the treatment of epicondilitis of the elbow joint

In order for the results of the treatment of an inflamed elbow joint to have a prolonged effect, a sore hand is very careful. To ensure the protection of Loktu, there are special orthopedic devices: with an epicondilite of the elbow joint, dressings from an elastic bandage, fluff, bandage, which immobilizes the limb in the upper third of the shoulder, are worn. If a very severe pain appears on the basis of the disease, the patient is applied to the area of \u200b\u200bthe affected joint. Thanks to all these devices, it is possible to give a natural position in a fixed state and thus reduce the tone of the ligaments and muscles.

Gymnastic exercises for epicondilitis of the elbow joint

Charging with a degenerative disease of this nature is needed to return the freedom of movement to the weakened joint. Performing exercises is relevant at the stage of transition of the disease to the stage of remission. The doctor selects a set of exercises in accordance with the individual needs of the patient. Each exercise is performed for 2 to 3 minutes after waking up and before bedtime. For example:

• clench and unclench the fists, holding the raised forearms near the chest;
• alternately lift and lower the forearms;
• rotate with your hands in the elbow joints;
• clamp the hands, and then raise and lower both forearms at the same time;
• grab the brush of the sick limb with the second hand and carefully bend it in radiant. At the time of the full bend, you need to hold your hand for a few moments of bent;
• make the "scissors" with your hands.

When it is better to start practicing, the doctor will tell. The premature treatment of therapeutic gymnastics can greatly harm the tendons if the inflammatory process has not yet been eliminated.

Treatment of epicondilitis of the elbow joint with folk remedies

Representatives of official medicine have nothing against “grandmother's” recipes, when an inflamed elbow complicates a person’s life, but they pay attention to that this measure is auxiliary, and in any case, you can not do without medicines.

Here are several options for the treatment of epicondilitis of the elbow joint at home:

1. The mixture is anti -inflammatory. The grass tissue is mixed with honey and sunflower oil in the same proportions. The sore spot is rubbed with a remedy before bedtime for 1 week.
2. Heating clay compress. 250 g of white clay is diluted in water, applied to the elbow joint and wrapped with gauze in several layers, and insulated with a woolen scarf on top. Such a compress is dangerous during the period of exacerbation of the disease. Applied 3 times a day for 1 hour.
3. Rubbing the affected joint with fresh nettle leaves. The plant is poured before use with hot water.

Surgery for epicondilite of the elbow joint

The surgical correction of the disease resort to single, very difficult due to the lack of competent treatment of cases when a painful pain syndrome knocks out its victim for 6 or more months. Then, on the back of the forearm, a miniature incision is made and the surgeon makes a notch on the tendons, and then sews up cut skin. Gymnastic exercises can be performed 10 to 14 days after surgery.

Prevention of exacerbation of epicondilitis of the elbow joint

If the patient cannot change the profession that entailed the development of the disease, you should always observe several simple recommendations in order to prevent relapse of the inflammatory process. Sports must be engaged in securing your hands with special bullyers, and before performing a set of exercises, a warm -up should be done to activate blood circulation in the risk zone. Massage is of great importance for epicondhylite of the elbow joint: performing prolonged monotonous work, it is often necessary to arrange a “five -minute” for relaxation and slightly massage the elbow before the resumption of work.

The prognosis of the treatment of epicondilitis of the elbow joint is promising. The disease is well lend itself to treatment and almost never “is overgrown” by complications. However, it is impossible to underestimate the pathology: in the case of a long negligent attitude to its health in the field of epicondilitis, Bursitis develops, which requires a more serious, in most cases of operational, approach.

Epicondidilite of the elbow joint. Video