Pain in the elbow joint during exercise | Hello

Why do my elbows feel pain after exercise?

The reason is simple - certain physiological changes occur in the joint, which appear when the elbow joint is heavily loaded. For example, after strength exercises in the gym, lifting heavy bags, moving furniture. When your elbows hurt from physical activity, this may indicate:

• pinched nerve;
• destruction of cartilage tissue (osteoarthrosis);
• bursitis;
• chondrocalcinosis;
• fasciitis;
• tendinitis;
• epicondylitis;
• osteochondrosis.

Problems with the elbow joints can be divided into three main groups. The first includes pathological changes in bone, cartilage and muscle tissue, the second includes malignant and benign neoplasms, and the third includes inflammatory processes.

The reason why your elbow hurts may be due to an old injury that initially did not cause problems, but eventually led to complications. If the unpleasant sensations are repeated, and the elbow hurts in the joint every time with increased load, you should not self-medicate. A light massage can aggravate the situation if the diagnosis is incorrect. You should seek medical help as soon as possible and undergo a comprehensive examination. Based on the results obtained, the specialist will make a decision on how to solve the problem.

Diseases that cause joint pain

Joint pain that occurs without an objective reason is called “arthralgia.” It can appear due to rheumatic, infectious, autoimmune, neurological diseases and a number of other reasons. Many pathologies can manifest themselves as pain:

• reactive arthritis
  is an inflammatory disease affecting the joints that develops after suffering certain infections (genitourinary, gastrointestinal). Occurs most often in people 20-40 years old. It manifests itself as acute pain when bending, redness of the skin over the affected joint, swelling of the tissues, and increased body temperature. Reactive arthritis, which includes the following symptoms: arthritis, conjunctivitis, urethritis or cervicitis, colitis and characteristic skin lesions, is called Reiter's syndrome;
• Rheumatoid arthritis
  is an autoimmune disease that affects the knees, elbows, feet and hands. It is characterized by constant pain in the affected area. The joints become deformed, swell, and rheumatoid nodules appear on the skin. The patient often experiences weight loss, damage to the eyes, skin, and spleen;
• psoriatic arthritis
  is considered a genetically determined pathology. The disease most often spreads to the feet and fingers, and the right and left joints are affected asymmetrically. Characteristically, there are plaques with a purplish-bluish tint in the diseased areas;
• Osteoarthritis
  is one of the most common diseases of non-inflammatory origin. Affects the hip, knee, and wrist joints. Main manifestations: aching pain, crunching and stiffness, which becomes more noticeable with exertion. The tissues over the diseased area swell, there is an increase in body temperature;
• gout
  is a disease that is inherited. Its occurrence is based on metabolic disorders, leading to the deposition of salts. Most often, pathological changes are observed in the ankle joints, elbows and big toes. The skin over the sore joints becomes hot, red, swollen and flaky. Gout in most cases is accompanied by damage to the kidneys and heart;
• ankylosing spondylitis (or ankylosing
  ) - refers to inflammatory diseases and is characterized by gradual damage to the joints of various parts of the spine. With this pathology, scar tissue with salts deposited on it forms over time in the joints, which significantly limits mobility. The person has a fever, his posture suffers greatly, and pain in the sacrum and lower back is more pronounced at night. The back muscles become stiff at rest, and there is pain in the chest, especially when taking a deep breath. The reasons are not entirely clear. It is more common in men 20–40 years old. In the absence of treatment, the mobility of the spine is significantly impaired, up to its complete immobility;
• post-traumatic arthritis
  - can affect any joints: shoulder, ankle, hip, knee, etc. It is a consequence of dislocations, fractures and sprains, tendon damage, severe bruises. In the absence of timely treatment, it becomes chronic. Signs of post-traumatic arthritis: pain, crunching in joints, aching bones, swelling in the area of ​​injury, stiffness of movement;
• osteoarthritis
  - occurs mainly in people over 50 years of age, as it is caused by constant stress on the joints. The disease manifests itself as pain, redness of the skin and swelling.

Separately, it should be said about drug arthralgia, which refers to temporary painful conditions. It, just like the pathologies described above, is manifested by severe pain in the joints, but its cause is the use of certain medications: antibiotics, tranquilizers and some other groups. This complication is especially common with high dosages of drugs.

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Features of diagnosing diseases of the elbow joint

If after exercise the pain in the elbow joint does not go away for several days, it is necessary to consult a rheumatologist, who is obliged to conduct a visual examination and, if necessary, prescribe additional types of studies. If pain in the elbow joint when lifting heavy objects becomes regular, but there is no swelling in the forearm area, a number of diagnostic measures are prescribed. They may include an ultrasound examination, through which changes in bone and soft tissues are clearly visible, and x-rays to determine the condition of the bones and the size of the joint space. At the same time, blood and urine tests are performed, the results of which can be used to determine the presence of inflammatory processes in the body.

If inflammation is confirmed, there is a high probability that its source is located in the forearm area, which is why the elbow constantly hurts. Computed tomography can confirm or refute this assumption. Magnetic resonance imaging may also be prescribed, which can help identify tumors and possible joint deformation after injuries.

Diagnosis – coronavirus: subtleties of modern radiological diagnostics

It turns out that modern radiological diagnostic methods make it possible to distinguish joint pain caused by arthrosis of the knee or other joint from pain after coronavirus. Symptoms will also be different for influenza and Covid-19. Experienced diagnosticians pay attention to swelling and inflammatory changes in tissues, hematomas, dead tissue and other signs that confirm or deny the presence of an insidious virus in the body.

At the diagnostic stage, it is very important to understand what exactly caused joint pain and other symptoms: the virus itself or the body’s autoimmune reaction, since treatment depends on this.

Coronavirus releases harmful substances into the body that enter the synovial fluid, leading to inflammation of blood vessels and nerve roots. In this case, joint pain is treated according to one principle. If the virus is no longer in the body, but the pain remains, they talk about an autoimmune reaction or a relapse of a chronic joint disease: then the therapy will be completely different. Consulting an orthopedic surgeon is not enough. The patient needs to undergo an MRI or CT scan: based on their results, the rheumatologist determines the cause and draws up a treatment regimen.

“Covid fingers” – one of the complications of coronavirus

How to alleviate the condition before starting treatment

Diagnosis may take several weeks, during which time the patient will experience pain. You can minimize discomfort by reducing physical activity - you will have to temporarily give up sports and any activities that cause pain symptoms. Ensuring complete immobility of the elbow at home is quite problematic, but until the end of the examination it is still worth minimizing any movements of the joint.

What to do if your elbow hurts very badly during exercise? First, you should stop the pain attack using anabolic steroids orally. Ointments with an analgesic effect, the effect of which is often based on warming up the skin, dilating blood vessels and increasing blood circulation in the problem area, are best postponed until the cause of the discomfort is clearly established. If the arm hurts in the elbow when lifting weights due to a malignant tumor, warming ointment can aggravate the situation and provoke the development of metastases.

How Covid-19 affects diseases of the spine and joints

Many doctors noticed that this year there was no usual seasonal decline in patients. On the contrary, during the pandemic, the number of patients complaining of joint pain has only increased.

Reasons for the increase in incidence

The main causes of outbreaks of musculoskeletal diseases include:

• Decreased physical activity. During quarantine, people did not play sports. The amount of physical activity has decreased to a minimum. Gyms were closed and walking was prohibited.
• Excess weight. Due to inactivity and boredom during quarantine, women stood more at the stove. As a rule, people began to eat more and gained extra pounds, which, in principle, negatively affects the spine.
• Lack of access to a doctor. People with existing diseases of the musculoskeletal system should be periodically observed by a doctor to prevent the onset of a critically dangerous stage of the disease.
• The effect of the virus on the body. Due to the fact that the body does not receive enough nutrients, there is a decrease in immunity, which provokes joint pain and inflammation. As a result, healthy cartilage becomes inflamed, and the entire musculoskeletal system suffers.
• Exacerbation of chronic diseases. When a person with a chronic illness is infected with the virus, new symptoms appear that complicate treatment.

Joint pain is the most common complaint of patients

Every second patient consults a doctor with complaints of joint pain. Most often people talk about back and leg pain.

Pathologies of the musculoskeletal system are common throughout the world. This is one of the most famous problems of an adult.

Such problems rarely lead to death, but have a profound impact on the body. A person’s performance decreases, the quality and life expectancy deteriorate, and chronic pain appears, which often makes itself felt.

According to the World Health Organization, the largest number of patients complain of back pain. Neck, joint, head and hip pain are also common problems. This was influenced by two factors. The first is that in the modern world, where everything is available online, people do not need to go anywhere. As a rule, physical activity decreases.

The second factor is an increase in life expectancy. Previously, people did not know what arthrosis, radiculitis and other joint pathologies were, because they simply did not live to old age.

What you need to know about treating joints for coronavirus

Doctors, one and all, warn their patients that during Covid-19 they should be extremely careful with medications. It is important to take into account not only the presence of chronic diseases, but also the state of the body’s immune system.

Therefore, medications that you have taken before for various joint pains should be taken only after consulting a doctor. The reason is that taking painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs at the same time as medications for Covid-19 can cause or develop side effects. Undoubtedly, this cannot but affect the general condition of the patient. The coronavirus will begin to worsen, new symptoms will appear, which can subsequently become serious complications.

For this reason, to relieve joint pain, many doctors prescribe devices for external use. Such drugs not only relieve pain, but also prevent the spread of inflammation in healthy bone tissue.

Preventive measures to help prevent complications from Covid-19

First of all, you need to remember that you need to closely monitor your health and pay great attention to the condition of the musculoskeletal system, especially if you have been diagnosed with coronavirus. If you notice any unusual symptoms, contact a specialist immediately. It is important to conduct a timely examination and prescribe appropriate treatment.

To prevent joint diseases it is recommended:

• monitor your weight. Obesity in general has a negative effect on a person’s condition, and it is generally dangerous for joints, as the load on the spine increases.
• eat a balanced diet. Try to eliminate fats and unhealthy carbohydrates, and give preference to plant-based foods. It's good for joints.
• monitor the water-salt balance and metabolic processes of the body. Don't drink too much liquid.
• do not abuse smoking and alcohol. Bad habits worsen the condition of bone tissue, and with coronavirus this is fraught with serious consequences for the entire body.

During coronavirus infection, you need to lead a healthy lifestyle. This is the only way to prevent exacerbation of joint diseases. Walk outdoors more often, not only in warm weather. A winter half-hour walk is a way not only to strengthen the body, but also to support the immune system.

Adequate healthy sleep is an important aspect. Therefore, stick to a daily routine so that you fall asleep at the same time and sleep at least eight hours a night. At least some physical activity is also important: running, swimming, dancing. All this is quite enough to prevent complications of existing diseases due to coronavirus.

When infected with coronavirus infection, about 5% of patients complain of pronounced pain and inflammation of certain joints.
Therefore, doctors advise seeking help in the early stages of disease manifestation. You shouldn’t start the disease and hope that everything will go away on its own. Also, do not self-medicate under any circumstances. You will not only aggravate existing problems, but also complicate the diagnostic process when you later consult a doctor. Author: K.M.N., Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences M.A. Bobyr

Methods for treating elbow pain

If there are no irreversible destructive processes in the cartilage and bone tissues, and the soft tissues are not damaged by malignant neoplasms, patients with pain in the elbows after exercise are prescribed complex treatment. It includes two areas - taking medications and various types of therapy. The list of medications, including ointments, is prescribed depending on the type of disease. For pinched nerves and inflammatory processes, the course of treatment includes anti-inflammatory drugs and anabolic steroids, including warming ointments. Additionally, warming baths and compresses with herbs or medications may be prescribed, which you will have to do yourself at home.

Physiotherapeutic measures may include massage, electrophoresis, and various types of hydrotherapy. A fairly effective aid in restoring the functions of the elbow joint is physical therapy, consisting of a set of exercises for the arms. However, it is not indicated for all joint diseases. On the contrary, in some cases, a fixing bandage is applied to the patient’s forearm, and special orthopedic products may be recommended to ensure complete immobility of the elbow.

Until recently, surgical intervention was the only option for relieving pain in cases of serious tissue destruction. However, today many clinics offer the use of chondoprotectors - medications that effectively restore cartilage tissue - before making a decision on prosthetics. If the course of treatment does not bring the expected results, surgery is prescribed.

Motrin® for joint pain

Motrin® is a drug that belongs to the NSAID group and helps relieve pain in the joints. Its action is also directed against inflammation, so with its help you can get rid of edema. The product is approved for use in adults and children over 15 years of age. Before using Motrin®, you should read the instructions for the drug and consult your doctor.

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The information in this article is for reference only and does not replace professional advice from a doctor. To make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment, consult a qualified specialist.