Elbow swollen, reddened and fever: causes and characteristics of treatment

Why does it hurt and swollen the elbow? The reason for this state will be presented later. We will also tell you how to treat this pathological phenomenon, and what symptoms it may be accompanied.

General Information

Elbow swollen occasionally bothers many people. If such a condition does not cause any particular discomfort, most of them do not pay any attention to it. But often this phenomenon is accompanied by a significant limitation of the person's ability to work and motor activity. In this case, you should always consult a specialist, as it may be about the development of quite serious pathologies.

Before we tell you about what disease the elbow can swell up, it should be noted that the elbow joint is formed by articulating the ulnar, radial and humerus bones. As you know, the surfaces of these articular elements are covered with cartilage, which contributes to the smooth and soft movement of the hand.

Thus, the elbow joint refers to the complex parts of the body. In part, this is due to the fact that there are 3 smaller joints in its cavity, called so: radiolucent, pleural and brachial.

The main causes of swelling of the elbow

Why is the elbow flushed and swollen? What is the reason for this pathological phenomenon?

Pain sensations in this part of the body can occur for a variety of different reasons. Conditionally they will be divided into:

• Lesions of bones and articular cartilage( eg trauma, chondrocalcinosis, arthritis, gout, arthrosis, synodial chondromatosis, elbow osteophyte, joint swelling).
• Lesions of the musculoskeletal system( eg, tendonitis, bursitis, epicondylitis, cubital canal syndrome, diffuse fasciitis).
• Lesions of SSS and NS( neuritis, intervertebral hernia, neurotrophic arthropathy, spinal osteochondrosis, myocardial infarction, hemophilia).

Consider the characteristics of some diseases in more detail.

Injuries to

If you have an elbow joint swelling, it may indicate that you have received any kind of injury.

• Dislocation of the elbow joint occurs as a result of a disruption in the relative positioning and matching of the articular surfaces. The general symptoms of such a pathological condition include redness of the skin, intense pain, swelling, swelling and changes in the natural forms of the joint.
• Subluxation - manifested by sudden pain in the arm and elbow, as well as restriction of movements in the elbow joint. Most often, such a trauma is given to children.
• Fracture - is expressed very intensely. Movement in the hand is almost completely limited, and the joint dramatically changes its natural shape. Very often such a phenomenon is accompanied by bruising caused by rupture of blood vessels.
• Ischemic contraction occurs due to a violation of the arterial blood flow in the hand due to damage to the vessels or by squeezing them with increasing edema. Symptoms of this condition are: increasing pain, not removed by analgesics, cold extremity of the limb, a sharp blanching of the skin on the arm, a rapidly increasing swelling of the fingers, a violation of the sensitivity of the skin, the disappearance or weakening of the pulse.

Arthritis and arthrosis

Sometimes the elbow swollen indicates the development of serious diseases.

Arthritis refers to inflammatory joint damage caused by rheumatism, psoriasis, lupus erythematosus systemic, autoimmune pathologies and metabolic disorders. This condition is accompanied by painful sensations not only in the elbow joint, but also in other joints.

As for arthrosis, it is a degenerative-dystrophic joint disease. With her, unpleasant sensations are not as intense as, for example, with arthritis. To the touch, the elbow is almost painless. In this case, no redness and increased local skin temperature is not observed.

Tendon tendon rupture

Pain in the elbow and arm with a tendon tear often occurs. With such a pathology, the patient is observed to decrease the force of flexion in the elbow, disrupt active movements, change the shape of the muscles in comparison with a healthy limb, pain syndrome and edematous phenomena.

Tendonitis

This disease is accompanied by inflammation of the tendons. A common symptom of this pathology is pain in the elbow, resulting from active movements. Also, the patient's skin blushes and their temperature increases over the area of ​​inflammation. In addition, with tendonitis there is a noticeable swelling in the area of ​​the inflamed tendon.

Bursitis

Elbow swollen, red and hot - what could it be? Such symptoms often indicate the development of bursitis. This inflammation of the periarticular bag( connective tissue), which is accompanied by the accumulation of fluid( exudate) in its cavity.

The main symptom of bursitis is the appearance in the elbow area of ​​a mobile and round swelling, which has a rather mild consistency. Such a swelling is very painful when palpating. Over time, it acquires a red or even a dark crimson color, and also becomes very hot.

Neuritis

Pain in the elbow with neuritis, or the so-called inflammation of the ulnar nerve is monotonous and aching, and very often accompanied by numbness of the fingers and a violation of sensitivity. Such a disease can arise due to hand injuries, hypothermia, nerve compression in narrow areas, its friction against bone structures and other things.

Elbow swollen with neuritis, is characterized by awkwardness when moving with a brush, as well as muscle weakness in the upper limb.

Osteochondrosis and a hernia of the spine

What if I have pain and swollen hand above the elbow? First of all, you should contact a qualified doctor. As a rule, such symptoms arise due to damage to the vertebrae of the cervico-thoracic region. In this case, painful sensations are noted not only in the elbow joint region, but also spread along the shoulder blades, neck and entire arm as a whole.

The cause of pain and swelling may be infringement of nerve fibers in osteochondrosis or an intervertebral hernia. In addition to these features, such a pathology is characterized by the development of atrophy of the biceps brachii muscle, a violation of flexion in the elbow and a loss of skin sensitivity in the forearm.

Elbow Tumor

The first symptoms of malignant formation are rapid fatigue, weakness, spontaneous body temperature increase, weight loss and appetite. Also for the tumor in the elbow joint is characterized by the appearance of pain. At first it does not have a pronounced intensity, however, in the course of development of the pathology, painful sensations become permanent, persistent and intensifying, including at night. Such symptoms are not amenable to pain medication.

Tumor formation can be detected visually. The affected place swells noticeably. Also limited mobility of the joint.

Treatment of

Now you know the main reasons for the development of swelling of the elbow joint. So what to do if you have a lot of swollen elbow, the temperature of the skin at the site of the lesion is noticeable and there are other unpleasant symptoms? How to treat this condition? As a rule, the diagnosis of pain in the hand does not cause difficulties for experienced doctors. This is due to the fact that the elbow joint is well available for examination and other diagnostic procedures.

Therapy for swelling and pain in the elbow should be trusted only by professionals. After all, only a qualified doctor can easily identify the cause of the development of this pathological condition, put a correct diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment. It should be noted that therapy of this phenomenon may include the use of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as acupuncture, massage and other physiotherapy procedures.

If the patient does not have the opportunity to consult a specialist in the near future, the following measures can be taken to improve the condition:

• The swollen and painful elbow joint should be fixed in the most comfortable position of the hand.
• If it is impossible to bend or unbend the upper limb because of its swelling or pain, and also the inability to pull it forward, stop all actions that cause discomfort.
• To stop internal bleeding, eliminate edema and reduce pain syndrome, ice can be applied to the area of ​​the affected area.

Such actions will greatly facilitate the patient's condition, which will make it possible to wait patiently for a doctor's consultation.