Arthritis of the elbow can trigger pain when the elbow is bent, straightened, or even when an individual is carrying something heavy, such as a suitcase. The most common elbow arthritis cause is rheumatoid arthritis (synovia or joint linings disease), although various injuries and osteoarthritis (arthritis affecting the cushioning cartilage on the ends of the bones) are other conditions that can also cause it. There are various symptoms associated with arthritis of the elbow.
Common Symptoms
Some common symptoms of elbow arthritis include pain on the outside portion of the joint (which gets worse with forearm rotation), being unable to flex the elbow, swelling, unstable joints, locking or catching of the elbow joint, aches in both elbows, stiffness in the elbows and more. These symptoms can vary.
Activity and Pain
As with most forms of arthritis, pain and activity level are directly related with elbow arthritis. At the beginning of starting an activity, the pain in the elbow is minor, but after a few minutes of continued motion, the activity gradually increases and becomes more and more severe. With worsened elbow arthritis conditions, pain can even be felt during times of rest and make it very difficult for an individual to fall and stay asleep at night.
Further Symptoms After Motion
After you have engaged in some activity with your elbows, with elbow arthritis, you might experience some swelling up of the joints and you might even feel some tightness and fluid buildup in them. When the articular cartilage fades off the surface of the joint, some grinding or creaking sound called crepitus might happen whenever the joint is moved.
Treatment Options
If you notice any of these elbow arthritis symptoms, you can consult with a doctor and choose from a variety of treatment options including nonsurgical methods, such as reducing physical activity involving the elbow joints, physical therapy and pain management. For surgery, treatment options include osteotomy, arthroscopy, synovectomy and arthroplasty.
Causes
Other than causes, such as rheumatoid arthritis, there are other triggers to elbow arthritis symptoms. These causes include trauma to the elbow joint (such as if it has been broken or fractured), inherited, idiopathic arthritis that has an unknown origin (possibly inherited) and instability (usually caused by cartilage damage from dislocation of the elbow). Any of these triggers could have started the uncomfortable symptoms associated with elbow arthritis.
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