1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Elbow Problems

Sore elbow, after fall twenty odd years ago

Posted , 2 users are following.

philippa61759
philippa61759

I fell on my elbow twenty odd years ago as a student and I ignored it.  I still get mild to moderate pain with shooting pains and pins and needles to my finger tips sometimes when I touch the bone.  Bad weather also causes pain.  The whole arm can get heavy and weak  with physical activity.  Could It be nerve damage or a minor break?

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • ihavenonickname
    ihavenonickname philippa61759

    Posted

    Pins, needles, tingling, numbness, loss of strength are all symptoms of nerve compression. In the arm, all or some of the nerves coming off of the brachial plexus are involved. Go to a shoulder/elbow orthopedic specialist. They will determine which nerve(s) are being compressed. Nerve release can be accomplished with oral steriods, injectable steriods, NSAIDS, therapy, and surgery...and I each one of these options have been used on both of my elbows.

    Stay positive...

    • philippa61759
      philippa61759 ihavenonickname

      Posted

      The elbow pain comes and goes and sometimes it feels completely normal.  It has gone on for so long now that I have somehow got used it. I did try chiropractory for it and for shoulder and back pain also caused by old injuries.  However, it made everything a lot worse and I now get pain from my neck down. New pains have appeared and dormant ones came back. I tolerated three sessions and then gave up.  Deep tissue massage was tried to correct it but I had a hyper immune reaction to it and I ended up in constant pain and exhaustion for over nine months.  Eventually this improved a little but I still get periods when the pain and and fatigue come back with very little exertion.  I also developed costochondritis and later IBS which I think may well have been an inflammatory response to the extreme stress I had put on myself.

      I think my safest option is NSAIDS because medical interventions invariably cause even more trouble than I originally had and prescribed medications often trigger bad reactions whereas over the counter drugs are less toxic.  As my IBS is related to stress, I tend to avoid doctors unless it is absolutely necessary.  However, it it is only nerve compression at least that is better than a badly healed break.

       

    • ihavenonickname
      ihavenonickname philippa61759

      Posted

      you have self medicated and it did not work. Chiropractic people are not required to have a bachelor's degree. You need a board certified orthopedic physician who carry at minimum 12 years of college education.

      The modalities you have tried would not be prescribed by an ortho.

      Choose an ortho practicing at a university hospital clinic.

      And yes, you can cause irreversible damage.

      I did not reply to you to have my reply interpreted as prescription to self medicate.

    • philippa61759
      philippa61759 ihavenonickname

      Posted

      Sorry, I am a very anxious person and tend to resort to options that will cause the least stress.  I guess I am worried about making the existing injury worse because it has gone on for a long time and thus may require more intricate treatment than I can cope with.
Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.