ELBOW PAIN
TENNIS ELBOW
Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is a condition that can result from overuse of the muscles and tendons in the elbow. Tennis elbow is often linked to repeated motions of the wrist and arm.
Despite its name, most people who get tennis elbow don’t play tennis. Some people have jobs that involve repeated movements that can lead to tennis elbow. These include plumbers, painters, carpenters and butchers. However, often tennis elbow has no clear cause.
The pain of tennis elbow occurs mainly where the tough, cord-like tissues of the forearm muscles attach to a bony bump on the outside of the elbow. The tissues are known as tendons. Pain can spread into the forearm and wrist.
Symptoms:
The pain of tennis elbow can travel from the outside of the elbow into the forearm and wrist. Pain and weakness can make it hard to:
- Shake hands or grip an object.
- Turn a doorknob.
- Hold a coffee cup.
GOLFERS ELBOW
Golfer’s elbow is a condition that causes pain where the tendons of your forearm muscles attach to the bony bump on the inside of your elbow. The pain might spread into your forearm and wrist. Golfer’s elbow is similar to tennis elbow, which occurs on the outside of the elbow. It’s not limited to golfers.
Symptoms:
- Pain and tenderness. Usually felt on the inner side of your elbow, the pain sometimes extends along the inner side of your forearm. Pain typically worsens with certain movements.
- Stiffness. Your elbow may feel stiff, and making a fist might hurt.
- Weakness. You may have weakness in your hands and wrists.
- Numbness or tingling. These sensations might radiate into one or more fingers — usually the ring and little fingers.
The pain of golfer’s elbow can come on suddenly or gradually. The pain might worsen with certain movements, such as swinging a golf club.
Carpel Tunnel
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common neurological disorder that occurs when the median nerve, which runs from your forearm into the palm of the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. You may feel numbness, weakness, pain in your hand and wrist, and your fingers may become swollen and useless.
Symptoms:
Symptoms usually start gradually, with frequent numbness or tingling in the fingers, especially the thumb and the index and middle fingers. Symptoms often first appear in one or both hands during the night. The dominant hand is usually affected first and procures the most severe symptoms. Early symptoms include:
- Numbness, particularly at night
- A feeling the fingers are useless or swollen
- A tingling sensation or pain in the fingers.
As symptoms worsen, people might feel:
- Tingling during the day, especially with certain activities such as talking on the phone, reading a book or newspaper, or driving
- Mild to severe pain, sometimes worse at night
- Some loss of movement in the hand
- Hand weakness may make it difficult to grasp small objects or perform other manual tasks.