Elbow Pain Specialist
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ORTHOPAEDIC SURGICAL CONSULTANTS
Orthopedics, Physical Therapy, & Podiatry located in Merrillville, IN
Your elbow supports extensive arm movement as you go about your day doing activities like lifting, carrying, driving, and enjoying sports such as tennis and golf. When the stress leads to elbow pain, it's time to get expert care at Orthopaedic Surgical Consultants. Their board-certified physicians provide conservative and surgical treatments that ease your pain, promote healing, and allow you to get back to all your favorite activities. If you need help to overcome elbow pain and regain function, call the office in Merrillville, Indiana, or book an appointment online today.
Elbow Pain Q & A
What causes elbow pain?
Elbow pain frequently occurs due to fractures, joint dislocations, or ligament and tendon injuries. In addition, many people end up with elbow pain when repetitive movements lead to overuse injuries that weaken and tear the soft tissues.
Examples of common overuse injuries include:
- Pitcher’s elbow
- Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
- Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis)
- Flexor tendonitis
- Ulnar neuritis
- Cubital tunnel syndrome (ulnar nerve entrapment)
- Ulnar collateral ligament injury
- Valgus extension overload
- Olecranon stress fracture
The inflammation caused by overuse injuries often causes tendonitis and bursitis.
What symptoms accompany elbow pain?
The conditions responsible for elbow pain also cause symptoms such as:
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Joint stiffness
- Weak grip
- Joint locking
- Limited elbow movement
- Loss of arm strength
- Restricted arm and wrist movement
Severe pain, swelling, and bruising that don't improve in a few days need prompt attention from the elbow specialists at Orthopaedic Surgical Consultants.
How is elbow pain treated?
After reviewing your medical history and symptoms, your provider completes a thorough examination and orders the diagnostic tests needed to identify the source of your elbow pain.
The team creates a treatment plan based on the underlying cause, the severity of your symptoms, and your activity goals. Your treatment begins with nonsurgical care that may include:
- Resting your elbow
- Wearing a brace
- Changing your activities
- Anti-inflammatory medicines
- Joint injections
- Cryotherapy
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
If your pain doesn’t improve with conservative therapies, your provider talks with you about surgery. The providers at Orthopaedic Surgical Consultants have extensive experience performing a wide range of surgeries to repair the cause of elbow pain.
What type of surgery relieves elbow pain?
Whenever possible, your provider performs arthroscopic surgery. This minimally invasive procedure causes less trauma and accelerates your recovery because it only needs a few tiny incisions.
Your provider inserts a narrow arthroscope through one incision and uses the scope's video camera to examine the elbow joint. Then they insert other specialized instruments through another incision to perform your surgery.
Some elbow conditions need traditional open surgery to ensure optimal results. For example, you may need open surgery if you have an elbow fracture, or you need a procedure to reconstruct a ligament, decompress nerves, or replace the joint.
You can depend on getting expert care for elbow pain at Orthopaedic Surgical Consultants. To schedule an appointment, call the office or book a consultation online today.