Pain in the elbow joint when clenching a fist

Today a person lives in comfortable, civilized conditions, but pays a high price for it: professional activity is in one way or another connected with the tension of the same arm muscles and with a sedentary lifestyle. Such a complex instrument as a hand is not designed to endlessly perform monotonous manipulations. A problem arises: pain in the elbow joint when clenching a fist, the treatment of which is not an easy task. What knowledge should you arm yourself with about this alarm signal from the body so as not to miss the moment and get your bearings in time?

Causes of pathology

Without identifying the source of the problem, it is impossible to begin treatment. Symptomatic therapy is ineffective: the discomfort will go away, but for a while. This is fraught with further progression of the underlying disease, but the symptoms will subside and subside.

What is the root cause of unpleasant sensations? There are many causes of elbow pain. We can talk about two groups:

Local (local reasons).
Common reasons.

Local (local) reasons

There are many diseases that affect the musculoskeletal system of the arm, causing pain in the elbow area. Among them:

Osteoarthritis of the elbow joint . Develops in individuals who perform monotonous work with their hands (associated with movement at the elbow). With this pathology, cartilage tissue is destroyed. Although such a localization is not typical for osteoarthritis, the pathology occurs in athletes, office workers, loaders (and other people engaged in heavy physical labor).
Tendenitis. Affects tendons. The disease occurs in professional athletes and office workers.
Tunnel syndrome (ulnar) . Caused by compression of the ulnar nerve. Occupational disease of athletes and musicians.
Bursitis (or inflammation of the joint capsule). Inflammatory damage to the joint capsule (due to an infectious disease, injury, and even autoimmune pathology).
Inflammation of the muscle membranes (fasciitis).
Traumatic causes. Pain when squeezing fingers can be associated with dislocations, bruises, hemorrhages (hematomas) in the joint, and previously received fractures. The pain is caused by swelling and inflammation.
Excessive muscle tension. Overstraining muscles is fraught with banal damage (I think the reader knows the condition after intense physical activity: nagging muscle pain, discomfort and heaviness), and serious injuries, such as damage to the flexors and/or extensors of the hand.
Arthritis of the elbow. Unlike arthrosis, it develops under the influence of external causes (autoimmune, infectious).

In all of the above cases, the pain in the elbow joint when clenching a fist is intense, and treatment requires a special approach.

Common reasons

Some systemic diseases manifest themselves as pain in the elbow joint when clenching a fist; treatment in this case is more difficult.

Gout. A disease associated with excessive deposition of uric acid salts (urates) in the joint cavity. Gout is a type of arthritis, but its etiology is common. The causes of gout lie in dysfunction of the endocrine (hypothalamic-pituitary) or excretory systems.

Osteochondrosis. With lesions of the cervical or thoracic spine, compression of the nerve roots occurs and nerve conduction is disrupted. This explains the pain, discomfort, tingling, numbness. Osteochondrosis is a scourge of both the younger generation and adults whose work is sedentary.

Deposition of calcium salts in the joint (chondrocalcinosis). In addition to urates, salts of inorganic origin are deposited in the joint cavity. Chondrocalcinosis is an alarming sign that signals problems in the body: from endocrine to oncological.

Pinched nerve in the elbow joint - symptoms and treatment of the disease

Osteochondritis. The exact etiology of osteochondritis dissecans has not been established. In pathology, cartilage is destroyed and fragmented, which results in the formation of articular fragments. They interfere with normal hand movements.

If your elbow hurts

Epicondylitis. This word denotes a dystrophic process in the places of muscle attachment to the epicondyles of the humerus, accompanied by severe inflammation of all neighboring tissues - tendons, ligaments, muscles and even the periosteum.

Most often, this unpleasant and painful disease occurs in people who perform frequently repeated, stereotypical movements (extension and rotation of the forearm). It is enough to talk with professional painters and carpenters to make sure that they know first-hand how elbows hurt after work. But epicondylitis is not limited to blue-collar workers: it often affects players of elite sports - tennis and golf, in whom it is usually right-sided. There is external epicondylitis of the shoulder (the so-called tennis elbow), which occurs most often, and internal epicondylitis, also called epitrochleitis.

The cause of epicondylitis is chronic overload. As a result of repeated microtraumas, a degenerative process develops in the tendon tissue, accompanied by inflammation of the surrounding tissues. Small scars form, which further weaken the tendon’s resistance to stress, which, in turn, contributes to an increase in the number of microdamages. In some cases, symptoms of epicondylitis occur after direct trauma. Congenital weakness of the ligamentous apparatus increases the risk of developing this disease and causes its more severe course. Often epicondylitis is combined with severe osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. It is noted that men suffer from this disease more often than women.

With epicondylitis, a person may complain of pain in the elbow joint. The pain may radiate up the outer edge of the arm and down to the middle of the forearm. At rest, pain is absent and appears only with certain positions of the hand or its movements - clenching the hand into a fist, trying to hold something. With palpation, you can find the point of greatest pain.

The disease is chronic; ebbs and flows of unpleasant sensations are replaced by ebbs. Exacerbation is almost inevitable after physical work or stress on the elbow joint.

Unlike external epicondylitis, internal epicondylitis is usually observed in people engaged in light physical labor - typists, seamstresses, assemblers, therefore women suffer from it more often. Clinically, it manifests itself as pain when pressing on the internal epicondyle, as well as when flexing the forearm. The pain spreads along the inner edge of the forearm.

Treatment of epicondylitis is carried out on an outpatient basis by a traumatologist or orthopedist. The regimen and methods of treatment for epicondylitis are determined taking into account the severity of functional disorders, duration of the disease, as well as changes in muscles and tendons.

It is recommended to “spare the muscles” - do not lift weights, do not make sudden movements, etc. Often, in case of severe pain, a plaster cast is applied for three to four weeks. Athletes during competitions often use a combination of local cooling (irrigation of the painful area with chlorethyl) with the introduction of novocaine or hydrocortisone to the point of maximum pain.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications are most often used. Great importance is attached to physiotherapeutic methods of treatment - ultrasound, phonophoresis (ultrasound with hydrocortisone), paraffin, ozokerite and Bernard currents. You should definitely use an elbow pad or an elastic bandage applied in a figure eight.

With conservative therapy without the use of glucocorticosteroids, the pain syndrome with epicondylitis is usually completely eliminated within 2-3 weeks, with blockades - within 1-3 days. In rare cases, persistent pain is observed that does not disappear even after injections of glucocorticosteroid drugs. The likelihood of such a course increases with chronic epicondylitis with frequent relapses, joint hypermobility syndrome and bilateral epicondylitis.

In case of chronic epicondylitis with frequent exacerbations, patients are advised to stop playing sports or switch to another job, limiting the load on the muscles of the forearm. If pain persists for 3-4 months, surgical treatment is indicated - excision of the affected areas of the tendon in the area of its attachment to the bone. The operation is performed as planned under general anesthesia or regional anesthesia. In the postoperative period, a splint is applied, the sutures are removed after 10 days. Subsequently, rehabilitation therapy is prescribed, including physical therapy, massage and physiotherapeutic procedures.

Head of the surgical department

clinic No. 1

Kovalev Ivan Ivanovich

Associated symptoms

The main manifestation of the pathologies described above is pain in the elbow joint. It occurs when the fingers are compressed and on its own, in complete rest. Patients describe the pain as burning (in 25% of cases), aching or pulling (in 56% of cases), dull throbbing (in 19% of cases).

The intensity of pain varied from minor to unbearable. However, it is impossible to judge the cause and severity of the pathology by these two factors. Elbow pain is rarely the only symptom. More often they arise in the system. This facilitates differential diagnosis. Before visiting a doctor, the patient should listen more carefully to the body in order to determine manifestations other than pain in the elbow joint when clenching a fist, in which case treatment will be prescribed earlier. What symptoms are we talking about?

Feeling of pressure in the elbow. Heaviness and pressure in the joint is most often due to inflammation. Discomfort, like pain, can radiate along the forearm, right down to the fingertips. Swelling of the elbow. Gives reason to suspect the development of arthritis. The origin is specified separately (infectious nature, rheumatoid origin). Along with swelling, redness and a feeling of heat in the joint are observed.

Numbness. Numbness indicates problems with nerve conduction. In this case, innervation can be disrupted both at the local level (by pinching the ulnar nerve) and by pinching the nerve roots in the neck. The most common causes are spinal osteochondrosis and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Tingling. Of the same nature as numbness.

In addition to local manifestations, in some cases general ones also arise, among them:

Hyperthermia (increase in body temperature) up to 37.5-38 degrees.
Weakness.
Headache.

Equally, all diseases that cause pain in the elbow joint are characterized by the development of inflammation. A characteristic picture of the inflammatory process develops. However, this is not necessary: it depends on the individual characteristics of the patient’s body, but it is indicative (severe inflammation accompanies an advanced process).

Ligaments in the elbow joint hurt: what to do?

Features of pathology diagnosis

The patient examination involves the use of the following procedures:

A conversation between a doctor and a patient, during which the location of pain, its nature, and the time when it manifests itself most strongly is determined. The specialist also tries to find out what caused the pain.
External examination and palpation of the affected left or right elbow. During this procedure, the doctor can detect changes in the structure of the joint.
X-rays (prescribed in case of injury or suspected development of a degenerative disease).
Neurological tests.
CT or MRI. Such procedures are more often recommended if a malignant tumor is suspected (a lump has appeared in the joint area), or osteochondrosis.

Which of the two diagnostic procedures is better to choose and what is their difference, says experienced neurologist Mikhail Moiseevich Shperling:

A general blood test that can confirm or refute the presence of an inflammatory process in the body.
ECG. A cardiogram is prescribed if the patient has burning pain in the elbow.
Ultrasound of the elbow.
Specific tests.
Rheumatic test.
Arthroscopy.

Such a comprehensive examination of the left or right elbow joint will make it possible to determine why it hurts, what kind of load is allowed on it, and what treatment will be most effective.

Diagnosis of diseases accompanied by pain in the elbow joint

Diagnostics is one of the key stages. Determining the underlying cause of the pathology can present certain difficulties. To establish the underlying disease, many studies are used, both laboratory and instrumental. Trying to determine the disease on your own is a hopeless endeavor. The main thing that is required from the patient is to clearly formulate complaints.

Who should I contact if I have pain in the elbow joint?

The list of doctors is long, and the patient risks getting confused. Therefore, it is wisest to schedule a visit to your therapist. It will help you decide on further actions. Among the specialized doctors:

Rheumatologist
Neurologist
Traumatologist
Orthopedist
Endocrinologist
Nephrologist

What is diagnostics?

The diagnostic strategy is selected individually, taking into account the probable causes of pain and prevailing symptoms.

Standard studies include:

Anamnesis collection. Consists of an oral interview with the patient. The doctor clarifies the nature of the complaints, the general condition of the patient, and asks other leading questions to create an initial picture.
Inspection. The doctor evaluates the anatomical condition of the elbow. At this stage, redness of the elbow, swelling, and swelling of the joint are detected. Diffuse fasciitis is determined in the same way (the skin acquires characteristic changes).
Palpation. Palpation makes it possible to more accurately assess the anatomical features and changes in the joint.
Based on the data obtained, the doctor makes preliminary conclusions about the nature of the process. The next task is to exclude possible diseases.
General blood analysis. With its help, you can determine inflammation (high ESR and/or leukocytosis, etc.), and suspect the presence of a rheumatoid process (eosinophilia).
General urine analysis. It is prescribed to identify uric acid diathesis (increased urate concentration).
Blood chemistry. It is prescribed to assess the concentration of calcium salts (chondrocalcinosis) and uric acid salts (with gout, the concentration increases).

Among the instrumental methods:

X-ray (used to assess the condition of the elbow joint and surrounding musculoskeletal structures).
Ultrasound diagnostics of joints.
Joint puncture. The procedure is minimally uncomfortable for patients. It is prescribed to determine the contents of the articular cavity.
Arthroscopy. It is carried out using a special endoscopic device. Allows you to visually assess the internal anatomical structures of the elbow.
MRI. Along with CT, MRI is recognized as the “gold standard”. It is carried out to assess the structure of the joint and surrounding soft tissues. Shows any changes in detail.
CT. Unlike MRI, it is more suitable for assessing bones. Better shows intra-articular hemorrhages.

The correct diagnostic strategy allows you to determine the source and prescribe adequate treatment.

Which doctor should I contact for elbow pain?

Since pain in the elbow joint can have completely different causes, different doctors will be able to treat them. However, for an initial examination it is worth contacting a general practitioner - a general practitioner. Only he is able to fully diagnose your primary condition and refer you to the necessary specialist.
Different pain requires different treatment and therefore you should not settle on just one doctor. If the cause of your pain is a disorder present in the cervical or spinal spine, only a professional neurosurgeon or neurologist can help you. He will be able to eliminate inflammatory diseases in your body and improve your health
However, if the disease is inflammatory in nature, then only a real doctor with a specialization in rheumatology can diagnose it. If your elbow joint is visually enlarged, there is swelling on it and you are experiencing pain, then you need to consult a traumatologist

Treatment of pain in the elbow joint when clenching a fist

As has already been said, it is not the pain that needs to be treated, but the underlying disease. This treatment must be comprehensive and carefully thought out. The patient cannot cope with this issue on his own; he needs the help of a doctor.

Self-medication is ineffective and sometimes dangerous: you can miss an important moment for treatment.

There is a high risk of approaching treatment incorrectly (resulting in joint destruction, death of nerve fibers and endings, reduction or complete loss of functional activity of the limb). There is no need to experiment. The patient can relieve the pain syndrome; everything else is prescribed only by the doctor.

Drug therapy

The main therapy for pain in the elbow joint when clenching a fist is conservative (medication, physiotherapy). In some cases, surgical treatment is resorted to (strictly according to indications). Specific groups of drugs and their names are also selected on an individual basis. The following groups of drugs are prescribed:

Diseases that cause pain in human elbow joints, a list of causes and symptoms

Anti-inflammatory drugs (non-steroidal). In the vast majority of cases, the cause of elbow pain is inflammation. Eliminating inflammation can relieve discomfort. However, it is reasonable to prescribe these drugs only in combination: the symptom is eliminated, but the negative processes continue. Although these medications are sold freely (without a prescription), you should not get carried away with them: you can easily “blur” the picture of the disease, complicating the doctor’s work. There are a huge number of anti-inflammatory drugs on the market, the most popular are: Ibuprofen, Ketorol, Nise.

Analgesics. Pain cannot always be relieved with anti-inflammatory drugs. In this case, painkillers are prescribed (Baralgin, Analgin, Brustan, etc.).

Chondroprotective drugs. As their name suggests, they protect joints by inhibiting degenerative processes. In addition, they promote the regeneration of destroyed tissues. They are used in long courses (up to six months or even more). They can be prescribed as intra-articular injections. There are many names on the market: Structum, Chondrolon, etc.

Steroid drugs. They have an anti-inflammatory effect, but a stronger one. Hyaluronic acid and its preparations. Relatively new drugs designed to improve joint nutrition.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is prescribed after completing a course of drug treatment (sometimes in parallel with it). The most common methods:

Electrophoresis.
Magnet.

Depending on the original cause of the pain, treatment may be supplemented. Since most of the manifestations under consideration are caused by disorders of the musculoskeletal system (including the musculoskeletal system), this treatment is a “classic”. Thus, for the treatment of gout, uricosuric drugs and urocodepressors, etc. are prescribed. Surgical (also orthopedic) treatment is performed strictly according to indications. As a rule, it consists of prosthetic replacement of the destroyed elbow joint or elimination of the traumatic cause of the symptom (for example, a compound fracture, tendon tear).

Pain in the elbow when clenching a fist may indicate damage to the elbow joint. Pathology occurs due to excessive stress and microtrauma associated with professional or sports activities.

Possible diseases

Epicondylitis is inflammation of the tendons. It can be external and internal. This pathology is the most common. Pain appears after performing physical exercises and carrying heavy objects, long-term similar movements. Any load provokes microtrauma of the ligaments. It is difficult for the patient to clench his hand into a fist or hold an object at arm's length. At rest, the elbow does not hurt.

With cervical osteochondrosis, the appearance of the elbow remains virtually unchanged. The pain spreads to the entire upper limb, numbness is possible. Pain may intensify after hypothermia.

A patient suffering from arthrosis not only experiences severe pain, but also hears a kind of crunching sound when bending and straightening the joint. If treatment is not started in a timely manner, the joint changes in appearance.

Arthritis is a pathology that does not develop independently, but is systemic in nature. Redness and swelling appear on the outside or inside of the joint.

Also, the pain that occurs when clenching your fingers into a fist can be caused by:

bursitis;
tendinitis;
diffuse fasciitis;
synovial chondromatosis;
herniation or protrusion of the intervertebral disc.

Recommended Treatments

The patient is often prescribed complex treatment. First of all, you will need drug therapy with the following medications:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in tablet form or steroid injections Colchicine. Such drugs not only eliminate pain and discomfort, but also reduce the intensity of the inflammatory process.
Chondroprotectors (Arthra, Chondroitin) are used to restore cartilage tissue.
B vitamins eliminate neurological causes of pain.
For local treatment, warming ointments with an analgesic effect (Voltaren, Fastum-gel) are used.
For purulent arthritis or bursitis, antibacterial drugs are prescribed in the form of injections.
Vasodilator medications restore blood circulation.
Muscle relaxants eliminate muscle spasms.

It is possible to eliminate pain and restore joint function with non-drug treatment. Orthoses or bandages - special orthopedic devices - reduce the load on the elbow joint. Physiotherapeutic procedures, for example, paraffin baths or ozokerite, help to cope with the problem. If fluid accumulates inside the bursa, aspiration of the fluid and drainage may be necessary. The following treatment methods are used:

shock wave therapy;
massage using medicinal ointment;
Exercise therapy.

Home remedies can also be used in combination with other therapy methods. If you have difficulty making a fist, try these recipes:

Take fresh burdock or cabbage leaves and beat them a little with a hammer. Tie them to your sore elbow overnight. Treatment must be carried out until pain is completely eliminated.
The skin around the sore joint is smeared and rubbed with alcoholic tinctures of honey, mustard or turpentine. A burning sensation may occur from time to time; if it is strong, it is better to abandon this remedy.
Clay application eliminates pain and numbness. To do this, the clay is heated to +45°C. Treat the joint with vodka, place gauze and a 1 cm layer of clay on it. It is advisable to also wrap the compress in a warm woolen cloth. After just a few procedures, it will become easier for you to clench your fist.
A compress with warm sea salt (+65°C) will bring benefits.
The skin over the affected joint can be smeared with laurel oil.
It is possible to cope with discomfort in the elbow joint with the help of celery juice, which is rubbed into the joint or taken orally. The course of treatment is 14 days.

Folk remedies cannot completely cure the supporting apparatus, but only improve the condition.

In the most extreme cases, surgery may be required. Sometimes it may be necessary to replace the bone or remove bone fragments after an injury. If there is severe painful sensation in the bone area, the patient may be advised to go to bed.

How to treat elbow pain with folk remedies?

Traditional medicine has been used for centuries to relieve a person from discomfort in the elbow joint. Such recipes are simple and always effective because, firstly, they cannot cause harm, and secondly, they are aimed at reducing the inflammatory process with herbal components and easing pain.

Ways to treat elbow pain:

To ease the pain, you can perform a light massage with essential oil or eucalyptus tincture. This product can be easily purchased at a pharmacy, or you can prepare it yourself by pouring about five grams of propolis with a glass of pure vodka or alcohol. This mixture is infused for a week in a dark place, after which it is successfully used to treat pain and reduce inflammation.
It is good to regularly use a simple honey massage. To do this, a small amount of natural honey, slightly heated in the microwave, is rubbed into the sore forearm. After a gentle massage, it is recommended to apply a burdock leaf to the sore elbow joint and leave it under a bandage overnight; the elbow can be wrapped in a warm scarf for greater effectiveness.
Regular compresses of laurel oil will help relieve pain in your elbow. It can be purchased at pharmacies, or can be prepared at home. A piece of gauze is soaked in this oil, after which the elbow is wrapped in it and held for some time.
Warm baths with sea salt will be extremely beneficial for the elbow joint. Buying such salt is not a problem at all, but if you don’t have it, you can easily replace it with rock salt
Other effective compresses can be made from Kalanchoe tincture, celandine juice, and clay masks. Clay is purchased at a pharmacy and applied to the joint for at least two hours, after which it is washed off with warm water. It is best to give preference to white or red clay. You can dilute the clay with sour cream
A compress made from birch leaves is considered extremely effective for treating elbow pain. To do this, pour boiling water over a handful of fresh leaves, steam for several minutes, drain the water and apply the greens to the joint. For greater effectiveness, wrap the joint with a bandage and hold it for at least thirty minutes.

Treatment with traditional recipes for pain in the elbow joint

How to relieve pain

The disease must be treated after consultation with a doctor. Before visiting a medical facility, the patient can be given first aid.

To eliminate pain, you must:

Remove the load from the sore arm by immobilizing it. A cold compress should be applied to the joint. If swelling occurs on the elbow, this manipulation will reduce the swelling.
Severe pain is eliminated using the following painkillers: Ibuprofen, Voltaren. You can use ointments with an anesthetic effect.

Preventive measures

For preventive purposes, the following measures are recommended:

athletes and people performing difficult work should carry out daily therapeutic exercises to flex and extend the joint;
Do not lean on your elbow for a long time;
it is important to eat right;
prevent any injuries to the elbow joint;
avoid hypothermia, do not visit saunas;
do not trigger inflammatory and infectious processes in the body;
If pain or other unpleasant sensations occur, consult a doctor immediately.

To ensure that training and simply moving your fingers does not cause discomfort, you need to eliminate all factors that can cause pain or cause a disease. The most important thing in prevention is an active and healthy lifestyle.

The structure of the elbow joint

So, its anatomy is not that simple. The left or right elbow includes several joints: brachioradial, humeroulnar, proximal radioulnar. Together they create a complex mechanism.

Flexion and extension of the elbow joint are provided by muscles. They are attached to the joint using tendons. There are 4 ligaments used to secure the articular capsule. This “mechanism” includes blood vessels that provide blood inflow and outflow, as well as lymph nodes. Also in the elbow there is a network of nerves through which it is innervated.

Possible causes of pain

The occurrence of pain can be triggered by various injuries and pathological conditions.

These include:

Inflammation of the joint due to certain diseases;
Joint overload due to heavy lifting;
Joint dislocations;
Tendinitis;
Tendon injury (stretch or rupture);
Epicondylitis;
Tumors;
Bursitis;
Synovial chondromatosis;
Pinched nerve roots due to manifestations of osteochondrosis, with damage to the vertebrae of the thoracic and cervical spine;
Ulnar nerve compression syndrome.

It should be remembered that myocardial infarction can provoke pain that covers the arm from the elbow joint to the shoulder.

Treatment methods

The disease is not considered severe and does not lead to loss of performance, but people still need to know how to treat pathology of the elbow joint. After all, untimely therapy leads to exacerbation and deterioration of the victim’s health, the development of acute and chronic forms of the disease. The main goal of treatment is not only to relieve pain, but also to eliminate inflammation, improve metabolism and blood circulation. But the most important thing is to restore mobility and joint function and prevent muscle atrophy.

What is the root cause of unpleasant sensations? There are many causes of elbow pain. We can talk about two groups:

Local (local reasons).
Common reasons.

There are many diseases that affect the musculoskeletal system of the arm, causing pain in the elbow area. Among them:

In all of the above cases, the pain in the elbow joint when clenching a fist is intense, and treatment requires a special approach.

Some systemic diseases manifest themselves as pain in the elbow joint when clenching a fist; treatment in this case is more difficult.