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What hurts? - arm and hand

One of the only physical liabilities of having an office job is a hand injury in the form of carpal tunnel. Hands, arms and shoulders can also be hurt from sports injuries, arthritis, congenital deformities, and repetitive stress. The most common types of injuries are:

• Fractures and sprains
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Tendonitis
• Arthritis
• Nerve and tendon injuries or lacerations
• Rotator cuff tear
• Shoulder pain and instability
• Ganglion cysts
• Tennis elbow

Dislocated Shoulder

If you have a dislocated shoulder, it can either be partially dislocated or fully dislocated. This can happen from falling or from contact sports like rugby or football. A hard hit pulls the arm out of the shoulder socket. It will swell up, become numb and weak, and bruise. A doctor will pop it back into place and then follow up orthopaedic care will be necessary until it regains stability.

Tennis Elbow (Golf Elbow)

Usually caused by overuse but sometimes a sudden impact, tennis elbow is a result of tiny, painful tears in the ligaments, and muscles around the elbow. The pain can radiate down the arm and is usually located on the outside of the elbow bone called the epicondyle. In the case of golfer's elbow, the pain is on the inside of the epicondyle. Usually those who experience this type of pain should avoid doing the activity that caused the pain (not just tennis, it can also be gardening, painting or any activity that causes repetitive stress on the arm). Continuing to perform an activity that incited the pain can cause pain to become worse and in some the cases, the elbow will become inflamed. Time is the best remedy to allow the tears to heal in the early stages. Anti-inflammatory medications like Advil can also be used as it helps to not only alleviate the pain, but also to reduce swelling in the arm. If pain persists, you may want to visit the doctor. Your doctor will be able to put you on a plan to help the pain go away and can offer strengthening exercises to help you get better.

Elbow Bursitis

Why do cars have bumpers on them? We all know it is to keep the main part of the car from harm. Between the skin and our elbow bone our bodies have "bumpers" that allow help prevent injuries to the elbow joint. The bumper is known as the bursa, small sacs of fluid that reside between the skin and the bone to allow easy, pain-free movement.

You may have noticed that when you rest your elbow on the table for too long of a time period it starts to hurt and may sport a reddish tint. This is your bursa telling you to lay off the elbows for a while. If you were to continue to rest weight on the elbows, they would inflame, and hurt. When irritated, it is a good idea to stop the activity that is causing the pain, take an anti-inflammatory medication such as Advil, put ice on the elbow, and elevate to reduce blood flow. If the elbow hurts a lot of the time, you should have a doctor look at them. He or she may be able to drain the bursa or inject corticoseroid into the arm to relieve pain. In some cases, the bursa may need to be removed.

NO PHYSICIAN REFERRAL IS NEEDED UNLESS REQUIRED BY YOUR INSURANCE

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