Common Elbow Pain Issues
Hitting your humerus (commonly referred to as the “funny bone”) on a hard surface can really sting. But what stings even more than that sensation is chronic elbow pain.
It’s normal to experience some aches and pains in your elbows as you grow older, but that pain should not be so terrible it affects your everyday life. If your elbow pain is severe, it may be time to look into regenerative medicine as a potential solution.
Causes of Elbow Pain
Elbow pain has many possible causes. Many of them come from common activities: sports that involve throwing or swinging a club or racquet, using a screwdriver, gardening, and heavy lifting. Other common causes of elbow pain include:
- Aging
- Arthritis
- Dislocation
- Golfer’s elbow
- Overuse
- Panner’s disease
- Sprains and/or strains
- Tendonitis
- Tennis elbow
How We Treat Elbow Pain
We treat elbow pain with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. PRP therapy is an injection derived from the patient’s blood. We draw a blood sample and separate the components. One of the components of blood is plasma, a liquid that helps blood cells — red and white blood cells and platelets — flow through the bloodstream. Platelets are the cells that help blood clot, which is a key part of the body’s healing process.
PRP has a higher concentration of platelets than what’s typically found in blood. The idea is that having more platelets injected into the injured area will accelerate the healing process.
There are minimal risks related to PRP therapy because the treatment comes from the patient’s body, therefore reducing the risk of allergic reactions. The risks themselves come from the injection itself, such as:
- Nerve damage or nerve injuries
- Infection
- Tissue damage
- Pain or swelling at the injection site
These risks come with any injection treatment.
Patient Treatment Process
Our first consultation with a patient will help us determine if our regenerative medical treatments are the best solution for their elbow pain. We’ll take their pain and medical history into account.
Once a patient is approved for treatment, we’ll schedule an appointment to start the treatment process. In the case of PRP therapy, nearly all of our patients are able to leave the office without needing any time to recover.
Depending on the severity of a patient’s elbow pain and other factors, we may require more than one round of treatment and/or follow-up appointments.
Schedule an Appointment
If your elbow pain is making it impossible to do the things you love to do, it’s time to seek out treatment options. Schedule a consultation with Memphis Regenerative Healthcare today!