Who’s Had “Tennis Elbow?” Got it Bad!
Frogdog
Member Posts: 3,026 ✭✭✭✭
Any tips from you Tennis Elbow (aka Epicondylitis) veterans? Been battling this nonsense for over 6 months and it’s just getting worse. Started when I was out observing a training mission, and one of the boat crew slipped. I grabbed his vest with my closest arm as a reflex, but he was about 230lbs and it just ripped/strained something as it pulled my elbow. I figured it would heal up, but never did. Doc says scans look okay, but inflammation is hard to kick. Tried brace, ultrasound machine, anti-inflammatory meds. Next is steroid shot.
Problem is, I can’t do hardly anything with that arm. Can’t tie shoes, lift a drink, draw/hold a pistol, etc. Shoot, can’t even pet the dang dog without it hurting like crazy.
Anyhow, y’all got any tips…anything that helped you?
Comments
At least you are married! Don
Did you get an MRI from wrist to shoulder? You could have a torn tendon or muscle. Been there done that with a torn rotator. X-rays won't show anything and I don't know if a CT scan will either.
In the meantime when I had tennis elbow in the way back time the doc gave me a special brace for it and specific exercises as well. You may be able to get it on the internet in one of the many shopping options.
Thanks, Susie. I asked for an MRI, but (as always), the military docs are incredibly restrictive on what they’ll order. They take it one step at a time and drag it out forever, as if the MRI is coming right out of their personal pocket. They did give me the brace, but it’s not much help. I think I’m probably going to get the injection, and insist on the MRI at next appointment. Good idea on the exercises, though. I’ll look them up.
Soak elbow in cold ice water with cubes floating in it as long as you can stand it for 30 minutes at a time, remove for 30 minutes and repeat again as needed, do this while drinking some type alcoholic beverage with your good arm. Has worked for me many times. 😉
"Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee
After 6 months something is torn, mutilated. STEROID shots just block the problem for a little while. MRI with contrast No doctor., but pretend to be one. 😐️ That's what I tell my wife anyway and she is a RN cath lab.
Ask the dog to pet you 😉
Bingo! But it's not just the military doctors - the insurance companies are incredibly reluctant to approve a MRI. I had to fight tooth and nail every time I needed one. Fortunately I've had Doctors that hung in there to get them approved. Turned out that the MRI was the only thing that revealed tears all 3 times.
Sorry to hear you're hurting. Can't offer any advise, but send best wishes.
Best wishes for you
NNo Real advice soulds like you have the rightnpath and good suggestions pased on
Over the years I have ocured a lot of bad joints and muscle issues that should have them operated on but to stubborn and i shy away from huge medical bills
When I have a episode I just do my best to take it easy load up on over counter pain meds and ride it out
After retiring, I will af it makes it easier to rest up, which every one is acting up
I'd get that on occasion in my right elbow. Glucosamine chondroitin tablets helped a lot. It takes a couple weeks for it to start working but gave almost complete relief. My injury was due to repetitive motion of operating a trowel while setting tile rather than from an injury like yours so I don't know if it would help in your case. I'm pretty sure it won't hurt!
"Tennis elbow"? NO
'Splitting maul elbow'? YES
Similar ailment, but vastly different causative. A couple of cortisone shots settled it down but only for a while.
Final solution-stop spitting wood manually.
You may want to look in to just paying cash for an MRI. I don't know about FL area but when I had no insurance a lot of testing, diagnostics etc. can be found for cash prices usually a heck of of lot less than what they bill the insurance companies and I understand completely about the Military and VA, It's hard to get them to do anything. Try a goggle search for Self-pay MRI in your area, it may surprise you.
Great suggestion. Thanks. I have some of those supplements in the cabinet, so I’ll give it a shot.
Splitting maul elbow sounds way better. Something about the doc saying I have “Tennis Elbow” really irritated me. Nothing against tennis. Just embarrassing….. like saying I sprained my Tea Party muscle or my Yachting Arm. Haha!
Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll keep that in mind. I do, however, like to force the system to do the right thing. If they don’t for me, they definitely won’t for the junior folks that have similar problems. That’s been a big problem I’ve seen across these clinics….. kids not getting the right treatment/referrals early enough, and then having permanent problems because of it. In fact, it’s that reason that I now have 5 different sets of glasses and some lost vision in my left eye. When I broke my orbit, they waited too long (surgery could have fixed) and the damage to the inner muscles became permanent. That’s another story, though. In any case, all that to say I will, if necessary, make a real big stink about the MRI, and pretty sure that will do the trick.
My arms are starting to hurt again just reading this. I found one thing that irritated it was driving a vehicle without armrests. Finally found a removable armrest on A that extends up from between the seat & console. For long distances I also put a bolster? pillow on the left side.
After 6 months and no better an MRI would be good. I had an MRI on my shoulder, and you can see a lot more than a CT scan or Xray. Turned out everthing looked fine on the MRI an my shoulder has gotten a lot better, but for at least 6 months I had pain.
Pulled back into the MRI machine for at least 30 minutes and laying perfectly still is no fun.