I have been lifting for years but slowed way down back in may or so due to Covid. I have had elbow pain for a little over a year, the left is worse than the right. Its not tennis elbow, its all the way around with a very sharp pain. It gets stiff if i hold it bent for a while and stiff if i hold it extended for a while. I have an appt with doc in 2 weeks but want to make sure we’re in agreement and not just a quick physical therapy answer
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Elbow Pain
- Thread starter Scout8541
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maxx the dogg
Member
Not sure how old you are but it could be arthritis, or maybe bone spurs if you're sure it's not tendonitis. I've had intermittent elbow issues over the years and they've always been tendon issues (either golfers or tennis elbow) which I've taken cortisone injections for. I went in 2 days ago for what I thought was the same issue and they did xrays. It turned out to be arthritis this time so he gave me a cortisone injection into the joint. If they don't do xrays first he'll do some manual tests on it and will be able to tell if it's tendon related or not.
The place I go always mentions rest, NSAIDS and ice first as possible treatments and then they will mention cortisone in passing and that's when I jump in and say 'yeah I've had good luck with that in the past and that's what I'd like to do'. Then they're like, 'Oh...OK we can certainly do that'. It's like they avoid it because they think most people would be averse to an injection. But fuck physical therapy and rest...I want what's going to get me back into the gym the fastest.
The place I go always mentions rest, NSAIDS and ice first as possible treatments and then they will mention cortisone in passing and that's when I jump in and say 'yeah I've had good luck with that in the past and that's what I'd like to do'. Then they're like, 'Oh...OK we can certainly do that'. It's like they avoid it because they think most people would be averse to an injection. But fuck physical therapy and rest...I want what's going to get me back into the gym the fastest.
maxx the dogg
Member
I also should have clarified that my insurance doesn't require a referral to see a specialist so I go directly to an orthopedist. The center I go to has a team of doctors that specialize in different body parts and some specifically say 'sports medicine' as a specialty. I always will pick that guy if there's a choice as they are more likely to be sympathetic to a lifter and understand you don't want to rest it for 3 months.
If you have to go to a GP through your HMO then most often you'll have to get a referral but they are also most likely going to recommend rest/NSAIDS first (although I have had GP's in the past that gave injections). Tell them you've had the issue for months and tried all that and it hasn't helped. When they ask what you do that causes it to hurt don't tell them lifting at the gym, tell them normal everyday stuff like yard work, washing dishes or that it just locks up on it's own. You may have to be pushy but push for the referral and say you'd prefer one that specializes in sports medicine.
If you have to go to a GP through your HMO then most often you'll have to get a referral but they are also most likely going to recommend rest/NSAIDS first (although I have had GP's in the past that gave injections). Tell them you've had the issue for months and tried all that and it hasn't helped. When they ask what you do that causes it to hurt don't tell them lifting at the gym, tell them normal everyday stuff like yard work, washing dishes or that it just locks up on it's own. You may have to be pushy but push for the referral and say you'd prefer one that specializes in sports medicine.
Had this same issue for over 2 years before I took a fall and fully detached my tricep tendon.
My advice, back off any exercise that aggravates it, start having ultrasound done to the area at least once a week to get blood flow in there so it can begin healing (tendons are bad abt getting adequate blood flow to recover on their own sometimes)
Stay on a joint supplement. Also, remember that continuous cycling can weaken tendons over time, you may want to back off and hitting 2 or 3iu per day of HGH may not he a bad idea. If the pain is right at the elbow tip and within 2" just above the elbow it's a tricep tendon. Trust me, it's a long ass recovery and very few docs are going to be able to give you an accurate answer as to how much is torn before the fucker comes apart! They can slowly tear over time and what I thought was severe tendonitis was actually a partial tear I was walking around with for 2 years
My advice, back off any exercise that aggravates it, start having ultrasound done to the area at least once a week to get blood flow in there so it can begin healing (tendons are bad abt getting adequate blood flow to recover on their own sometimes)
Stay on a joint supplement. Also, remember that continuous cycling can weaken tendons over time, you may want to back off and hitting 2 or 3iu per day of HGH may not he a bad idea. If the pain is right at the elbow tip and within 2" just above the elbow it's a tricep tendon. Trust me, it's a long ass recovery and very few docs are going to be able to give you an accurate answer as to how much is torn before the fucker comes apart! They can slowly tear over time and what I thought was severe tendonitis was actually a partial tear I was walking around with for 2 years
Also, don't rely on sleeves or any assistance that masks the aggravated area, it'll only end up fucking you. You want to know the true pain threshold and recovery rate, not mask it
Villain
Member
Good knowledge drop right here. Thanks!
