You probably don’t realize how much your elbows are in constant motion until you have an injury or experience pain. It can be debilitating, interrupting your everyday activities and quality of life.
If you have elbow pain, our team at Crescent City Orthopedics can help. We offer three types of minimally invasive treatments that can relieve your pain and get you back to your normal daily routine.
They include:
The RICE method is one of the most common ways to get your pain under control.
Here’s how to remember what to do:
Rest your injury. Stop using your elbow for at least two days to give it time to heal. Steer away from the idea that you can push through your pain. Your elbow needs ample time to be inactive to avoid further injury and to kick start the healing process.
Put ice in a towel and lightly apply it to the area of pain for about 15-20 minutes every few hours for the first 24-48 hours. Icing an injury brings down swelling and reduces pain.
Wrap your elbow with a supportive bandage, but be careful not to squeeze it too tightly. The goal is to prevent swelling without interrupting the blood flow.
When you raise your sore elbow above your heart, you can reduce your pain and swelling. Prop your arm up on a pillow while lying down, or position yourself in a way that keeps your elbow elevated.
When you injure your elbow or experience any pain or swelling, the RICE method should be your first go-to for relief.
If the root of your elbow pain is caused by osteoarthritis, we may recommend treating your stiffness and inflammation with medication.
Over-the-counter medicines include acetaminophen or ibuprofen for short-term relief. Corticosteroid injections or prescribed medications might also be right to reduce your pain and inflammation.
If nonsurgical options aren’t effective, we use arthroscopic surgery as our first choice for providing the relief you need. This surgical technique allows us to make tiny incisions where we insert cameras and medical tools that give us impeccable precision to view the damaged area and repair it.
You don’t have to feel intimidated by this surgical option because you have little blood loss, less pain, and you heal quicker when compared to open surgery.
To learn more about your options for treating your elbow pain, click here to reach out today to meet with us at a location near you in Metairie, Chalmette, or Covington, Louisiana.
