Please help, doctor says I have 'tennis elbow' but I've looked it up and swelling?
Question:
I have swelling just above my elbow, and it hurts to put pressure through my hand, but I'm fine when it comes to lifting things, and gripping things.
Any ideas on anything else it could be?
Should I ask for a second opinion?
Answers:
As far I know there IS swelling involved with tennis elbow.
I am not a tennis player and have suffered from "tennis elbow" for five years.
From webmd:
Tennis elbow is pain and swelling of the bony areas, muscles, and tendons in the elbow. Tendons are tissues that connect muscle to bone. Tennis elbow usually affects adults. It may take weeks to months before the elbow feels better.
Causes: You may have a small tear in the tendon in the elbow. This may be caused by stress to the tissues that attach to the muscles in the forearm. (lower arm). Moving your forearm in the same way over and over again (as in playing tennis or golf) may cause this problem. Auto mechanics, carpenters, and manual laborers may also get tennis elbow.
Signs and Symptoms: You may have pain, tenderness, or swelling of the elbow. It may hurt for you to move your elbow.
REST your arm and do the excercises the doc should have prescribed for you.
i had that for i year so last year 2006 i had a operation for 2 hours it cured it they removed some bone,sinew and muscle my arm is fine now are you sure its tennis elbow .
If you don't play tennis. I would ask for a second opinion...
You could ask for a second opinion or go to another doctor who will just want to perscribe medicine.
Or, you can do what many people have forgotten. To simply rest the body, any "injury" or "disease" has an origin. Inside or outside the body, it makes little difference. Whatever appeared as an illness can soon do the exact opposite.
Its a lot like cancer, doctors are trying to destroy it etc, yet have never thought for a second that what becomes active can return to its dormant state once more if the body is given chance to heal and rest. If you do not rest and take it easy, with as little contact with any form of tehcnology as possible as this weakens the body due toe radaition poisoning, then yes medicine may heal an illness, but if the body is ignored then it will bring something else in. It is simply saying that you will rest.
Depending on where the swelling is located on your arm, would make the difference in the diagnosis. Is the swelling on the front or side of the arm? Is it painful to the touch? Does the swollen area feel boggy or firm?
*Sounds like it may be tennis elbow. Try using ice directly on the skin..hold the ice in a washcloth and massage it over the sore area for about 4-5 minutes, wiping the water away with the cloth. Take anti-inflammatories, if you are medically able, to decrease the irritation/pain. Beyond that, see if you can get into physical therapy if it continues to be bad. You may need to purchase a tennis elbow strap at your pharmacy to wear during normal daily activities to help decrease the force across that area of the body.
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