Elbow Arthritis

Treating Elbow Arthritis

Treatment of elbow arthritis will depend on the severity of the condition. Some important guidelines should be followed at the onset:

• Rest: avoid the activities that produce any pain.
• Ice or moist heat: apply ice to the joint or area of pain or inflammation. It is one of the fastest ways to reduce swelling, pain and inflammation. Individuals with Rheumatoid arthritis may not tolerate ice well. The application of moist heat (like a warm wash cloth) may be helpful with stiff joints. The application of ice or heat should be done at intervals for about twenty minutes at a time. Do not apply directly to the skin.
• Compression: when using ice, apply light pressure. This is especially helpful if swelling is present.
• Elevation: elevate the area to help reduce swelling.
• Movement: keep your joints moving whenever possible. When pain occurs the tendency is not to move, but this will only result in further loss of motion and lead to increased pain and loss of function.

Medicine Intervenes and Managing Your Pain

Avoiding the activities that produce the pain or stress in the involved joint is the first line of treatment.

• RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation should be used to reduce the stress on the bursa.
• NSAIDS (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to reduce pain and inflammation.
• Immobilization, strapping or bracing may be beneficial to rest, to protect the joint and to promote healing.
• Injection of steroids may be indicated to reduce inflammation of the involved joint.
• Joint injections of hyaluronic acid preparations to facilitate joint cartilage repair and regeneration.
• In severe recurrent conditions surgery may be indicated. In less severe cases arthroscopic surgery to clean the joint surfaces (debridement) may be indicated.

Mild Cases

In mild cases rest, ice and medication may be all that is needed to reduce the pain. Once the pain is reduced physical therapy is recommended to develop a series of stretching and strengthening exercises to prevent loss of motion, weakness and loss of functionality in the joint.

Moderate to Severe Cases

If the problem persists, consult with your NJ pain specialists. Your physician should perform a thorough evaluation to determine the severity of the condition and the plan of care.