What Are The Types Of Arthritis
There are several types of arthritis. Common ones include:
- Ankylosing Spondylitis is arthritis that affects the spine. It often involves redness, heat, swelling, and pain in the spine or in the joint where the bottom of the spine joins the pelvic bone.
- Gout is caused by crystals that build up in the joints. It usually affects the big toe, but many other joints may be affected.
- Juvenile Arthritis is the term used to describe arthritis in children. Arthritis is caused by inflammation of the joints.
- Osteoarthritis usually comes with age and most often affects the fingers, knees, and hips. Sometimes osteoarthritis follows a joint injury. For example, you might have badly injured your knee when young and develop arthritis in your knee joint years later.
- Psoriatic Arthritis can occur in people who have psoriasis . It affects the skin, joints, and areas where tissues attach to bone.
- Reactive Arthritis is pain or swelling in a joint that is caused by an infection in your body. You may also have red, swollen eyes and a swollen urinary tract.
- Rheumatoid arthritis happens when the bodys own defense system doesnt work properly. It affects joints and bones , and may also affect internal organs and systems. You may feel sick or tired, and you may have a fever.
Arthritis is seen with other conditions. These include:
What Symptoms Does Arthritis Of The Elbow Cause
If you have elbow arthritis, you may experience a spectrum of symptoms from catching, locking and occasional sharp pains to pain at night, crunching of the elbow and pain when you lift things with that arm. The pain is often felt at the extremes of motion and on rotation of the forearm. Stiffness and loss of motion is common, especially the ability to fully straighten the elbow, and the elbow may appear swollen. Most symptoms are increased by activity, especially if it is repetitive or heavy in nature. Sometimes there may be tingling or numbness in the fingers which can be related to the arthritic bone spurs causing nerve irritation.
Elbow Pain Stiffness And Swelling
Initial symptoms of elbow arthritis include pain and stiffness around the elbow, as well as swelling. Patients find that it becomes increasingly difficult to bend or straighten the elbow. Patients often experience pain with forearm rotation as well.
Additional symptoms of elbow arthritis include locking of the elbow or catching sensation from loose bodies in the elbow. Initially, most patients have pain with lifting or with extremes of motion.
In advanced stages, elbow pain can be severe at night or at rest during the daytime. In some cases, patients can also have feelings of instability and weakness in the elbow.
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Surgery For Elbow Arthritis
If conservative management is no longer effective and you have persistent severe pain and weakness, there are a number of surgical options that would provide pain relief and improved function. Consult with your hand and upper extremity surgeon to discuss the best surgical options for you.
Elbow arthroscopy
Elbow arthroscopy can be performed in early rheumatoid and osteoarthritis to improve motion and provide pain relief. Similar to shoulder and knee arthroscopy, elbow arthroscopy is performed with several small 1 cm incisions over the elbow joint. Through these small incisions or portals, the surgeon can remove loose bodies from the elbow joint, remove the inflamed synovium, shave off bone spurs, as well as remove scar tissue in the elbow joint. Elbow arthroscopy is also very effective in treatment of catching and clicking from loose bodies. This is a minimally invasive procedure with quicker recovery time due to the small incisions.
Synovectomy and removal of osteophytes
In less advanced cases of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, the surgeon can open the joint to remove the diseased and inflamed synovium as well as bone spurs or osteophytes from the joint. Patients often experience significant pain relief from this procedure as well as increased range of motion.
Elbow arthrodesis
Elbow arthroplasty
Recovery after surgery
Elbow Replacement Photo Gallery
How Do Doctors Diagnose Rheumatoid Arthritis
It might be difficult to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis in its early stages since the early signs and symptoms of the illness are similar to those of many other disorders. There is no one blood test or physical evidence that can be used to confirm a diagnosis of this kind. In the course of the physical examination, your doctor will examine your joints for signs of edema, redness, and warmth.
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Ways To Manage Elbow Arthritis
Your elbows may be the last place youd expect to get arthritis, but these joints are vulnerable to the pain and stiffness of arthritis, just like other joints.
Osteoarthritis can affect one or both of your elbows, and make your daily activities very painful and difficult. Take note, however, that there are ways for you to manage elbow arthritis so you can improve your quality of life.
At Peninsula Orthopedic Associates, our professionals are experts in the many different types of arthritis that can affect your body. Our team has a roster of orthopedic specialists who offer a number of treatment options to get your elbow pain under control.
Elbow Arthritis: Symptoms Causes Treatment
by Dr. Ashwini Marathe | Feb 21, 2022 | Elbow Pain |
Elbow Arthritis is a common type of degenerative disease that affects the joints and bone health of your body as you age. It is a progressive disease that affects the population above the age of 60. It severely compromises your range of motion and mobility and is commonly associated with pain and tenderness of the joints. Although there is no definitive cure for arthritis, physiotherapy for elbow pain, exercises, and medications can help you manage the pain better. Let us take a closer look at elbow arthritis by examining its causes, symptoms, and treatment options.
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Are There Tests To Diagnose The Cause Of Elbow Pain
There are many different tests used to evaluate and diagnose elbow pain. These include:
- A comprehensive physical examination
- Electromyography and Nerve Conduction Testing
A physical evaluation by a healthcare provider is typically the first step to establishing the cause of your pain. During your visit, your healthcare provider will palpate the anatomy of the region and perform special tests to rule in or out the various causes. This can help with the diagnosis of sprains, strains, tennis elbow, and cubital tunnel syndrome.
In addition, images may be taken to further confirm a diagnosis. In addition, images may be taken to further confirm a diagnosis. For example, X-rays can help visualize any bone or joint irregularity and may be helpful for osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. MRIs, however, can show damage to soft tissue structures like ligaments or tendons and are useful when assessing a sprain or strain.
Blood tests that look for certain inflammatory markers may also be necessary to confirm or rule out rheumatoid arthritis. Finally, EMG tests are typically performed to assess the function of your ulnar nerve if cubital tunnel syndrome is suspected.
Do You Have Problems With Your Elbow
When you suffer from a painful and stiff feeling in one of your elbows, this does not necessarily mean that you have arthritis. The elbow is a delicate joint that can be overloaded these days, with intensive sports practice and the use of electronic gadgets. Common elbow injuries include a golf elbow, a tennis elbow, and RSI, with the tendons or tendon attachment sites being inflamed. The issues can be a result of bursitis, rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis or through the cubit tunnel syndrome, with a nerve on the inside of the arm being irritated. With continued pain and stiffness in the elbow, it is always wise to make an appointment with the GP in order determine the exact cause of the symptoms.
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What Can Ra Do To The Shoulder
In addition to causing pain, RA in the shoulder can be problematic in other ways. One of the most difficult things to deal with is the limited range of movement you may experience. The limit to your movement is why you may find it hard to swing a golf club or pick up the groceries like you once did. Even if you have the pain under control with the use of pain medication, the stiffness and inflammation may prevent you from doing everything you once did.
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Symptoms Of Ra In Elbows
The elbow is a unique joint. Three arm bones in it connect and move in different ways. Thanks to your elbow, you can move your lower arm all around and place your hand in lots of different ways.
When you have RA in your elbows, it might hurt to bend them. But it also can hurt to straighten your arms out. The pain of RA can make it hard to do many normal tasks and activities. The stiffness that comes with elbow arthritis also may be disabling if you donât treat it.
At first, youâll likely notice pain and stiffness. When you have RA in your elbows, you may have a hard time bending and straightening your arm back out. It might also hurt to rotate your lower arms.
You might have other symptoms, too:
- A swollen elbow joint
- An unstable elbow or one that gives out
- Trouble moving your elbow and arms fully
- An elbow that catches or locks up
- Pain in other joints, such as your wrists or shoulders
Some people with RA in their elbows also will have rheumatoid nodules. These are firm lumps under the skin that happen in about 1 in 5 people with RA. Rheumatoid nodules might hurt sometimes, but they arenât usually tender. Rarely, the skin on top of nodules may get an ulcer or infection.
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How To Treat Elbow Pain
There are several different ways to treat elbow pain, many of which vary depending on the underlying cause. In most cases, mild elbow soreness can be treated by icing the area, refraining from pain-causing activities, and taking over-the-counter NSAID medications. Persistent, worsening, or severe pain may need more formal treatment and should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.
In the case of sprains, strains, or tennis elbow, formal physical therapy is often initiated. This treatment aims to alleviate pain by slowly loading the affected structure while increasing strength and mobility in the area. Therapy may also be used to reduce pain and add stability to the affected joints in people with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Cortisone injections may be used in some situations to provide short-term pain relief for conditions like osteoarthritis and tennis elbow. In addition, certain prescription medications, like disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs , biological agents, and oral steroids, are frequently prescribed to control the pain and swelling caused by rheumatoid arthritis.
Some conditions may also potentially require a surgical intervention. This may include a fixation procedure after an elbow fracture or an elbow arthroplasty for advanced cases of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
When To See A Doctor
Most cases of elbow pain will get better on their own or with simple self-help treatments. You should see a doctor if:
- your pain doesnt improve after two weeks of taking painkillers and resting your elbow, and you havent had an injury or infection
- you have tingling, numbness or weakness in your arm or hand.
You should visit a hospitals accident and emergency department straight way if:
- you notice symptoms such as severe pain that stops you from moving your arm, swelling, fever, heat and redness. These can sometimes be signs of infection.
- you think youve fractured your elbow this will probably follow an obvious injury such as a direct impact or fall onto an outstretched hand. A fracture will cause pain and usually bruising and swelling.
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Tips For Managing Ra In Elbows
There are other things you can do to help with your elbow RA. Some tips include:
- Your doctor might suggest that you take it easy or change your activities. Some types of exercise or activity will be harder on your joints than others. Itâs still a good idea to exercise when you have arthritis. Studies show that staying physically active can help with pain and your ability to function with arthritis.
- It may help to warm your elbow joints up in the morning with a heating pad or shower. Try icing them at night to reduce swelling. This may especially help after youâve been active.
- Splints or braces can help support your elbows and help them swell less. Ask your doctor if you should wear splints while you sleep at night.
- If you are overweight, it can help to lose some extra pounds. When you are carrying extra weight, it puts more stress on your joints. Thereâs also evidence that sticking to a healthy weight helps keep arthritis from getting worse.
- Your doctor might also suggest trying an anti-inflammatory diet, like the Mediterranean diet. Such diets include eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, fish, and olive oil.
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Changing How You Move
The first thing to do if you have elbow pain is to change, or possibly stop, any movements that might be causing your symptoms or making them worse. Flare-ups of some conditions, where the symptoms become suddenly worse, can be eased by avoiding bending the elbow into certain positions.
If you do any tasks for work that involve repetitive movements such as using a screwdriver or painting, its worth discussing this with an occupational therapist. These are healthcare professionals who can suggest how to change your movements and ways to support your elbow while its healing.
A GP can refer you to an occupational therapist, or you can see one privately.
If your workplace has an occupational health department, they should be able to help.
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Rheumatoid Arthritis In The Elbow: Symptoms And Treatment
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the bodys healthy tissues. The resulting inflammation can cause pain, swelling, and stiffness in the affected joints. Although RA tends to affect the joints in the hands, wrists, and knees, between 20 percent and 65 percent of people with RA experience involvement in the elbow. In fact, rheumatoid arthritis is the most common cause of arthritis in the elbow.
Symptoms In The Elbow
RA in the elbow can affect mobility, making it difficult to extend or bend your arm. Your elbow joints may also lock in place, or you may have periods of instability. This is when the elbow joint gives out, making completing activities difficult.
Elbow pain may occur mostly on the outer side of the joint. As your disease worsens, you may have pain that interferes with sleep.
Joint stiffness is another symptom of rheumatoid arthritis in the elbow. The risk of stiffness is greater when arthritis develops after an elbow injury.
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Common Types Of Arthritis Explained
Article featured on MedicalNewsToday
Arthritis is a painful rheumatic condition that causes joint inflammation. There are many different types of arthritis that can affect the joints and other areas of the body and cause similar symptoms, such as pain, swelling, and stiffness.
There are more than 100 different types of arthritis. Some common types of arthritis include osteoarthritis , rheumatoid arthritis , and psoriatic arthritis .
Below, we explore these conditions, as well as other diseases that can present with arthritis. We also discuss potential treatment and when to seek medical guidance.
Types Of Elbow Arthritis
The first step in the treatment of elbow arthritis is to determine the cause of symptoms. Unlike some joints where osteoarthritis is by far the most common type of arthritis, elbow joints are commonly affected by some other conditions. The most common types of arthritis found in the elbow joint include:
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What Causes Arthritis Of The Elbow
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of the joint linings, or synovia. As the joint lining swells, the joint space narrows. The disease gradually destroys the bones and soft tissues. Usually, RA affects both elbows, as well other joints such as the hand, wrist and shoulder.
Osteoarthritis affects the cushioning cartilage on the ends of the bones that enables them to move smoothly in the joint. As the cartilage is destroyed, the bones begin to rub against each other. Loose fragments within the joint may accelerate degeneration.
Trauma or injury to the elbow can also damage the cartilage of the joint. This can lead to the development of arthritis in the injured joint.
What Does Tendonitis In The Elbow Feel Like
Symptoms of Tendonitis in the Elbow When you have elbow tendonitis, your major symptoms will be discomfort and tenderness on the outside of your elbow. Stiffness and discomfort in the elbow, particularly in the morning and at night, are often prevalent, and they are exacerbated when the hand or arm is used.
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What Does Rheumatoid Arthritis In The Elbow Feel Like
Pain from rheumatoid arthritis in the elbow is often symmetrical and best described as a dull ache or throbbing pain.
In the beginning stages, you may have intermittent pain that comes and goes, or you may only feel pain with certain movements like bending your elbow.
As your disease progresses, elbow pain can become persistent, or the slightest movement can trigger discomfort.
Pain from RA in the elbow differs from pain caused by an injury. With an injury, pain can be short term and gradually improve. RA pain does not improve on its own. Instead, pain can become progressively worse if left untreated.
RA in the elbow may also feel worse at certain times of the day, such as in the morning.
If you nerve compression, you may get a pins and needles sensation in your elbow. Or, you might have complete or partial numbness in your elbow and distal arm.