Treatment for Elbow Pain

Homemade remedies can be used to cure mild pains on the elbow. Chronic elbow pains, on the other hand, require more complex treatment procedures. Before taking any medication, an individual should consult a doctor to determine the cause of the pain. A comprehensive examination should be conducted to make a diagnosis which will determine the type of treatment that is most appropriate for the elbow pain.

Platelet-rich plasma injections

The PRP (platelet-rich plasma) treatment is a new treatment method that has attained immense popularity, especially among the tennis players. The treatment involves collecting a sample of blood from the patient then adding some healing components to it so that the platelet count is larger than that of the other cells in the blood which when injected to the ailing elbow healing becomes stimulated in the adjacent tissues.

Steroid Injections

When some of the mild treatment procedures appear not to be effectively eliminating the pain on the elbow, the doctor may have to use more complex and strong treatment procedures. Steroid injection is one of those strong treatment methods that are ideal for chronic elbow pains. Steroid injections will not provide instant relief to the ailing elbow but will rather cause more and severe pain on the region after the injection which will last for a short while or hours at most after which the pain will gradually reduce. The severe pain experienced after the steroid injection can last up to about forty-eight hours. At times the first injection may not effectively reduce the pain so the individual will be required to get a second one. The side effects experienced after steroid injections are very negligible which is why they are considered the most effective treatment method. The main purpose of getting the injection is to make the healing process much faster, but for the tennis player who has experienced the pain for a period exceeding six weeks, the steroid injection might not be effective. Elbow pains will eventually heal with or without the steroid injection.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is the most commonly used method to strengthen and rebuild the elbow to eliminate the reoccurrence of the pain. The activities done in physiotherapy should be performed under the strict supervision of a physiotherapist who will ensure that the elbow stays flexible or acquires the needed flexibility. Several exercises should be performed on a daily basis to ensure that elbow does not get contractures. To strengthen the biceps and triceps light weights or resistance bands should be used in weightlifting following the directions of the physiotherapist.

 Acupuncture is a technique that many physiotherapists use in the treatment of elbow pain in combination with other treatment procedures. Many people have claimed that acupuncture is an essential treatment technique, but there is still no proof to show how beneficial it is when used in treating elbow pains. For golfers and tennis players, epicondylitis clasps are an appropriate treatment procedure. Individuals who suffer from cubital or radial tunnel syndrome are however not suitable candidates for this treatment. The treatment involves strapping or tapping the soft tissues or joints to reduce the strain caused on the elbow