Elbow joint is made up of three bones humerus, radius, and ulna. These bones are held in place by muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Elbow joint is used in almost all the activities that involve upper limb. It moves with almost all the movements of our arms. It allows a wide range of activities like bathing, brushing, writing, cooking, throwing a ball etc.
Causes of Elbow Ailments
Elbow problems can occur due to variety of reasons including:
Symptoms of Elbow Ailments
The symptoms of elbow ailments depend upon the disorder and its extent (acute or chronic), But in majority of the cases, patient complains of the following problems associated with the elbow joint:
These are just common symptoms but patient may have other symptoms too that should not be ignored as elbow joint is one of the most important joint of our body. So anything that is not normal or is causing discomfort should be discussed with the doctor and treated accordingly.
Diagnosis of Elbow Ailments
The diagnosis of elbow ailments starts with a complete medical history of the patient. It is also required to consider family history of joint pains as some of these disorders run in families. This is followed by thorough physical examination of the joint to find any visible signs and assess its level of activity. In addition to these following diagnostic tests are almost always required to conclude the disorder:
Treatment of Elbow Ailments
Treatment of elbow problems specifically depends upon the cause and extent of disorder. It is required to first evaluate the damage that has already occurred and simultaneously start the treatment that would prevent further damage. Treatment may include some of the following: