Whether from an injury or overuse, elbow pain can greatly interfere with daily tasks. Los Angeles Elbow Pain Relief doctors provide patient-centered care to help you heal and improve your quality of life.
Dr. Ghodadra will ask detailed questions about your symptoms, including when they started and the underlying cause (if known). He then examines your elbow, assessing range of motion, strength and other factors.
Injections
Injections help reduce pain and inflammation for several weeks. They are a common treatment for tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis and golfer’s elbow, as well as other conditions that cause pain and inflammation in the area such as olecranon bursitis.
A local anesthetic is applied to numb the skin at the injection site. The doctor inserts a needle through the skin and into the joint capsule, guided by fluoroscopic [floor-ah-SKOHP-ik] X-ray guidance or with the use of a contrast dye to confirm correct needle placement.
Some patients experience a brief period of increased pain after the injection. This is caused by the loss of the anesthetic and will not last long. Over-the-counter pain medication and the application of ice (5 minutes, a few times per day) can decrease this discomfort. Several newer injections have recently been shown to be effective in treating tennis elbow, including autologous blood injection (ABI), platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection and sclerosant injection.
Physical Therapy
The elbow is less prone to wear-and-tear damage and arthritis than other joints in the body, but it can still develop pain and stiffness due to overuse. Injury or repetitive movements from sports, work, or daily activities like gripping or opening a jar can cause damage to the tendons, bones, and muscles in the elbow.
Your physical therapist will first assess your elbow and other areas of the arm, hand, or wrist to find the source of your pain and weakness. They will create a plan that includes goals for you, such as functional strength and pain relief.
Although icing, medication, and bracing can help with tennis elbow pain, they aren’t always enough to relieve the pain. If you’re tired of living with elbow pain, book an appointment over the phone or online with orthopedic specialist NEIL GHODADRA, MD to see what treatment options are available for your condition. He provides state-of-the-art treatments to achieve profound pain relief and healing for shoulder and elbow injuries.
Braces
You may know that braces help straighten crooked teeth and malocclusion (the misalignment of the upper and lower jaw). But did you also know that they can relieve elbow pain?
Elbow tendonitis is a common affliction that causes pain on the outer elbow. It happens when repetitive motions inflame the tendons connecting your forearm muscles to your elbow. A tennis elbow brace can reduce this pain by absorbing counterforces and redistributing tension, allowing your tendons to heal.
This traditional design brace features a pad that’s strategically placed to relieve irritated tendon insertions, plus a breathable liner for comfort. Its semi-rigid construction is pre-formed to distribute strap pressure, and it’s designed to fit elbows up to 14 inches in circumference.
This compression brace is similar to a sleeve, and it’s available in various sizes to ensure a comfortable fit. It’s made of a blend of neoprene and HydraMesh fabric, which helps manage sweat. It has two adjustable straps for a secure fit and can help reduce hyperextension, too.
Surgery
If nonsurgical treatment does not alleviate your elbow pain, you may need surgery. It is important that you plan ahead for your surgery to ensure that your healthcare team has the information they need and that you are able to get proper care after your procedure.
During elbow arthroscopy, your surgeon makes one or two small incisions near the lateral epicondyle. A high-powered camera inserted into these incisions (called portals) displays images on a large screen, which allows your surgeon to see the interior of your joint and remove or repair damaged structures.
Your surgeon may use this procedure to remove loose bone or cartilage pieces, which are rubbing together and restricting movement and causing pain. They may also perform this surgery to remove bone spurs, which are growths that pinch bones against each other and cause pain. Your doctor may also replace the elbow joint with a linked or unlinked implant, depending on your situation.