Do you feel a searing pain in your elbow when you lift a coffee cup? This common issue is often the result of tennis elbow, a condition that affects a tendon outside your elbow. Fortunately, treatment options like using an arm massage tool can help alleviate your pain by reducing muscle tension and promoting circulation.
Common Causes of Burning Pain in Elbow
Several conditions could be to blame for the burning sensation in your elbow. Regardless of the cause, the first step toward finding relief should be contacting a professional, such as a doctor or physical therapist, who can help you treat the underlying issue.
Tennis Elbow
The most common cause of elbow tendinitis is lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow. This condition is a chronic overuse injury of the lateral epicondyle, a bony prominence on the outer side of the elbow.
The lateral epicondyle is a point of attachment for the tendons of the muscles that let you extend your wrist. Repetitive strain on the lateral epicondyle creates micro-tears in the extensor tendon, leading to classic symptoms of tennis elbow, such as pain and loss of function.
Tennis elbow affects approximately 20% to 50% of tennis players. However, it can develop in occupations requiring repetitive gripping or wrist extension and carrying loads of 20 kg or more. Painters, plumbers, carpenters, cooks, auto workers, butchers, and assembly line workers are at a notably higher risk.
Smoking, obesity, and poor nutrition are also risk factors. Sudden overuse of the forearm muscles in people who don't use their forearm muscles much can also lead to tennis elbow.
Golfer's Elbow
Although not as widely known as tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, or medial epicondylitis also causes a burning sensation in the elbow. It occurs when the medial epicondyle tendon inside the elbow is injured or inflamed. Any sport or activity that involves repetitive arm motions could contribute to the golfer's elbow.
Nerve Compression
Another cause of severe elbow pain is nerve compression or entrapment. This usually involves the ulnar nerve and occurs when the nerve becomes pinched as it travels through the elbow, resulting in a condition called cubital tunnel syndrome. Cubital tunnel syndrome can cause a range of problems, including arm and wrist issues similar to those with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).
Arthritis
Arthritis can also cause burning pain in the elbows. There might be an underlying degenerative (osteoarthritis), inflammatory (rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis), infectious (septic arthritis), or metabolic (gout) process.
Symptoms to Watch Out For
- Persistent pain: Tennis elbow pain usually develops gradually rather than suddenly. There typically isn't a single identifiable traumatic event that precedes the pain. However, in rare cases, it can occur suddenly due to trauma. You might start feeling pain 1 to 3 days after activities involving repeated wrist extension, especially if you're not used to them.
Tennis elbow starts as a burning or aching sensation along the outside of the elbow and forearm that is worsened by movement. The area may feel tender and painful to touch. Left untreated, it can progress into severe burning pain that may spread down to the wrist, even at rest.
- Numbness or tingling: Tennis elbow does not typically cause numbness or tingling. If you experience these symptoms, it might be a sign of co-existing nerve involvement, particularly of the radial or ulnar nerve.
- Weakness in your arm: An often overlooked but critical symptom of elbow conditions like tennis elbow is a weak grip or general weakness, signaling that the condition has worsened. Simple everyday tasks like turning a doorknob, chopping vegetables, gardening, typing, or lifting a coffee cup may become increasingly difficult.
- Swelling, stiffness & tenderness. Suppose elbow pain is accompanied by swelling, stiffness, and fever. In that case, it may indicate a more serious underlying condition, such as an infection or a severe inflammatory process.
Consult your healthcare provider when you notice these symptoms to receive timely and appropriate care. Seeking help early is crucial to preventing disability and ensuring the long-term health of your elbow joint.
Preventing Burning Pain in Your Elbow
Elbow pain is treatable when treatment plans are followed through. However, preventing elbow injuries is often better than seeking treatment afterward. Here are some critical measures to preventing a first, a second (or even a third) elbow injury and subsequent pain:
- Stretching and Strengthening Exercises: Eccentric exercises, which involve slowly lengthening the muscles under tension, are vital to preventing elbow pain. Combined with regular stretching of both the flexors and extensors, eccentric exercises enhance muscle flexibility and strength.
- Warm-Up Before Activities: Always warm up before engaging in physical activities to prime your muscles and tendons for the exertion ahead. A good warm-up with the Rolflex arm massager increases blood flow to the muscles and tendons, making them more pliable and less prone to injury.
- Proper Form & Technique: How you move your body and handle equipment at work or during workouts can make or break your tendons. For instance, when playing tennis or racquetball, ensure your grip is neither too tight nor too loose, and maintain a smooth, controlled swing to avoid excessive stress on the elbow.
When lifting heavy objects, distribute weight evenly and use your legs to lift, not just your arms. Use orthotic splints or braces to protect and stabilize your elbows and maintain proper alignment.
- Adequate Rest: Ensuring your body gets enough rest is essential for recovery and preventing overuse injuries. Allow time for your muscles and tendons to recover after strenuous activities.
- Hydration & a Healthy Diet: Proper hydration and nutrition are vital in tendon health. Drink plenty of water and consume a diet rich in anti-inflammatory and tendon-protecting nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin C.
Treatment Options for Elbow Pain
First, you must see a medical practitioner or physical therapist for a thorough assessment. Elbow pain can be caused by many underlying medical conditions or sometimes by problems elsewhere, like a nerve impingement in your neck. Only a professional can identify the source of your symptoms and formulate a management plan for you.
Treatment works best when started early. And the sooner you receive a proper diagnosis, the quicker you can begin appropriate treatment.
Conservative Management
Suppose the burning pain in your elbow is relatively mild. In that case, your doctor or physical therapist may recommend one or more non-surgical treatment options.
Foam Rolling
Foam rolling, or self-myofascial release, is one way to manage elbow pain, particularly tennis elbow. It can improve circulation, stimulate healing, and reduce muscle tension. Try relieving your elbow pain using a foam roller on the surrounding muscles to help alleviate the stress on your affected tendon at the elbow joint.
Rest & Ice
Taking time off from activities that cause your symptoms can sometimes be the most effective way to handle elbow pain. Simply resting could lessen the load on your elbow, preventing further damage and enabling your recovery. In addition to rest, ice can help reduce inflammation and temporarily relieve pain.
Anti-inflammatory Medications
In addition to rest and ice, over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen can help reduce inflammation and alleviate pain. However, these medications are short-term solutions. Suppose you find you need to use anti-inflammatory medications long term. In that case, it's a sign you need to reassess your treatment plan with a qualified healthcare professional.
Bracing
A counterforce tennis elbow brace can reduce the stress on your affected tendons by limiting their movement, allowing them to heal more effectively. Bracing is particularly effective when combined with rest.
Physical Therapy
As your elbow pain subsides, you can gradually begin gentle stretching and strengthening exercises. Rest still plays a role, but you should start introducing movement carefully and under professional guidance.
A physical therapist can create a personalized exercise plan to help strengthen your elbow. They might recommend wrist stretches, specific strengthening exercises, and stress ball squeezes.
These methods are crucial for rehabilitation. They may help improve elbow mobility, minimize damage, and prevent recurrence of elbow pain. Some studies show physical therapy to be 91% effective at improving pain and function in 52 weeks.
Cortisone Shots
Like NSAIDs, corticosteroid shots can provide short-term pain relief. However, some studies suggest that they may disrupt the healing process.
Surgical Intervention
While rare, surgical intervention by a specialist may be necessary if you do not find relief in six to 12 months. An orthopedic surgeon may perform surgery for severe cases via arthroscopy or the open method to remove inflamed tissue and reattach healthy tendon tissue.
Discuss your options with your healthcare provider to determine which suits your condition and lifestyle best.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to recover from elbow pain?
Depending on the severity of your tendon injury, symptoms may disappear in a few weeks to 12 months. Around 80 to 90% of tennis elbow people recover within a year of conservative treatment. At the same time, the rest will continue to experience symptoms beyond that period.
What can be mistaken for tennis elbow?
Due to similar symptoms, tennis elbow and golfer's elbow are often confused. Both conditions affect the tendons surrounding the elbow joint, causing inflammation and pain.
Should you massage elbow tendonitis?
Deep tissue massage on the forearm, such as with a foam roller, can help relieve pain from elbow tendonitis or tennis elbow. This method promotes circulation and can lead to positive outcomes when combined with friction therapy on the tendons of the elbow joint.
What causes a burning pain in the elbow?
Elbow tendonitis, which features symptoms of pain and tenderness outside the elbow, often leads to a burning sensation. Increased pain can occur in the morning or night, mainly when using your hand or arm.
What underlying disease causes elbow pain?
Post-traumatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis commonly cause elbow pain. Both conditions involve inflammation within your elbow joint and can damage tissue.
How do I know if I have bursitis or tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow pain is related to tendon conditions. In contrast, bursitis pain results from inflammation or irritation of the fluid-filled pads (bursae) that cushion your joints, including your elbow. Discuss your symptoms with your doctor to receive an accurate diagnosis.