What Does Elbow Pain Mean? What Should I Do?

When you experience elbow pain, you might find it difficult to fully extend and flex it, as well as rotate your forearm and hand. It’s one of the most common problems treated and diagnosed by physiotherapists. Sometimes it might be a minor condition, but you should also be aware of when it requires immediate medical attention.

Below are a couple of scenarios to help you decide of whether or not you need to seek for elbow pain treatment in Singapore, or it can be managed with simple home remedies.
Go to the ER immediately if:

• You see that there is an obvious deformity protruding in your elbow
• You see that there is bone that’s already protruding from under the skin

Go to a Physio or Doctor if:

• You’re feeling a lot of pain, and there’s swelling or bruising around the elbow joints
• You have limited movement in your elbows
• Your elbows still hurt after using an ice pack or compression bandage
• Your elbows still hurt after giving it a few days of rest or home care
• Your elbows hurt even when you’re not using any part of your arm
• You’ve noticed an increased redness, swelling or pain right around the injured area

Taking Care Of Your Elbow

If the injury is minor, there are several things that you can do at home to alleviate the condition and care for it:

• Protect the affected area from further injury by wearing something protective, like a sleeve.
• Rest, so your elbows have a chance to recover. Most instances of elbow pain usually go away after two to three days of rest.
• Place an ice pack on the affected area for around 20 minutes at least two times a day.
• Reduce the swelling by placing a compression bandage around the affected area.
• Use an arm sling to help elevate your arms and further reduce the swelling.

There are a lot of possible causes for elbow pain. But, most commonly it is due to overuse or injury. There are many things that require repetitive hand, wrist, and arm movements, from typing, to playing competitive sports, and even hobbies like playing computer games or wood working. There are also elbow disorders that may be the contributing factor, such as medial epicondylitis, olecranon bursitis and osteoarthritis. Thus, it is important to look for symptoms that signal if your elbow pain is serious so you can have it looked at by professionals and undergo physiotherapy in Singapore.

Keep in mind to take breaks from repetitive tasks that require use of arms and elbow, and practice exercises that help to strengthen the muscles around the elbow joint. You should go to a physiotherapist for elbow pain treatment in Singapore and talk to them for advice and recommendations on treating and managing your elbow pain.