What out for your elbow.
Posted By: nm on 2008-02-12
In Reply to: Good day that went how I wanted it to go sm - Lyndia
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Sore elbow(s)
 I use elbow pads to save my shoulders & neck, but find that continually resting my elbows on anything (or keeping them bent at a 90-degree angle or greater) for any period of time exacerbates the pain. My problem is bone-spurs in the elbows - combination of arthritis and/or overuse from sports, etc. But typing, sleeping with it bent, etc. do make it worse. I've found gentle exercises on the machines at the gym to be helpful, provided I don't overdo it. I also use glucosamine & chondroitin supplements for a knee problem that might help a little.
Sometimes sleeping curled around an extra pillow, with my arm stretched out underneath it to help prevent it from being over-bent, seems to help. Also avoiding over-use. I try to keep my med. dictionary on my desk during the day, so I don't have to reach for it, and when I first take it off the shelf in the morning, I do it while standing up to lessen the stress on the joint.
When it does flare up, I've experimented with different pain remedies to find what is most effective. While aspirin works best on some of my parts, my own elbow pain seems to respond best to extra-strength Tylenol, and second-best to two ibuprofen (even though the bottle says take just one.) And the neck and shoulder pain is best relieved by Flexall cream, second-best by ibuprofen.
Best of luck finding the right cure!
Elbow pain
What has helped my elbow pain a lot is vitamin B complex vitamin. I read that somewhere and tried it. It helps me and may help someone else.
sore elbow
Just yesterday I noticed a lump on my forearm, just above the elbow. It is sore and has a red spot just on top of the lump, but the red just fades into almost nothing (which is just smaller than a dime), and the lump is actually lumpy, but seems to spread into a mass a couple of inches long. Anyone have any experience with something similar to this? I don't want to go to the doctor unless I have to because I know they will want to do an MRI, and all of that "stuff," (so if anyone has had anything like this and may have an idea what it is I would appreciate hearing from you). Thank you.
BooBoo Elbow
Not to be a smart butt, but is the swollen area right over the olecranon process? Have you bumped this area? Have about a skeeter bite? (we'll leave the spelling like that!<g>) You need to differentiate between inflammation and infection. Try heat and if that does not work, try ice. Until you know what it really is maybe you should avoid topical stuff like Ben Gay (that still around? ) As I Have That said...go and get a band. They do work! Take whatever pain med you feel is warranted and tolerated....you know the usual (ibuprofen, asa, Tylenol, etc.).+ Are you in a tick populated area? If so hightail it to the docs as soon as you can!
I have ulnar neuropathy, but my olecranon process did not get too red or swollen. But, boy did it hurt. Plus the pain went down the ulnar nerve region to my fingers.
Hope it gets better soon!! 
Tennis elbow anyone???
Hi all!
I have developed 'tennis elbow' after many years of transcribing. If there are any fellow sufferer's with this condition, have you found any methods to relieve the discomfort of this condition besides refraining from using a keyboard? Thanks for any input.
tennis elbow
I developed "tennis elbow" and I bought an air pillow/splint that wraps around your arm at the elbow with velcro and it helps. Also, my doctor told me (orthopedic physiatrist) that most tennis elbow is not tennis elbow but is related to shoulder/neck/rotator cuff strain/sprain. I went to physical therapy for impingement of rotator cuff on opposite side, but with the PT I received for my neck/back/shoulder, my "tennis elbow" disappeared completely and has not come back. Try the little air pillow, you can buy at drug stores for about 15.00 for tennis elbow. Hope this info helps. I am still transcribing.
elbow pain
i find i rest my chin in my hand while leaning on my elbow to read the text. now my elbow hurts and my posture is suffering. word of advice on editing...read the sentences out loud. you can catch a lot of errors that way.
elbow pain
In regard to your elbow pain, I also have been typing 25 plus years and have had physical therapy on my left elbow. PT said it is tenns elbow from repetitive motion. They suggested getting cortisone shots. Shortly after seeing physical therapy for my left elbow and it was okay, my right one started aching. Hurts and aches all the time. After 6 months of wearing an elbow wrap when I work, using heat when I don't work and using Biofreeze,(lotion the chiropractor uses) - I went and had a cortisone shot. WOW best thing ever. My elbow has not hurt since. It is remarkable. Other than quitting transcription, is the best thing to help.
Elbow pain
Anyone have ideas on how to alleviate elbow pain when typing? I just started having right elbow pain that doesn't hurt while I am typing, but when I am done the pain is so bad I can barely move my arm. I need to set up my desk/keyboard differently so my arm is in a different position while typing, but not sure how. I tried the keyboard in lap trick suggested.......doesn't work. The keyboard is tettering all over the place because I've got one foot on the pedal so my knees are uneven. It's funny 'cause my elbow doesn't move while I am working but I guess my fingers moving must create enough muscle tension on my elbow that I've messed it up good. Could this be bursitis or epicondylitis? Help. Need relief. Geeze, 25+ years at this and NOW I start having pain.
Tennis elbow
In the last month I have had the same problem with my right arm, only pain on top on the bone. It does not hurt when I type but afterwards I can barely bend my elbow. It also hurts when picking up things, even very light objects. Just went to an Ortho doc Wed and he diagnosed lateral epicondylitis/tennis elbow. It is from the repetitive motion of my fingers typing that causes the tendon that goes to the elbow to get tiny tears in it, thus the pain. He fit me with a wrap that goes around my arm just below the elbow. This causes compression and has helped tremendously with the pain. He also put me on Naprelan which is a strong antiinflammatory. He said there is no cure and the next step will be a cortisone injection if the bracing and meds do not help. I also purchased a Morency board by Ergodirect ($100) It attaches to my keyboard tray and is shaped in such a way that your arms up to your elbows rest on it. Much better than having your arms just rest on the arms of your chair or hang mid air. It is SO comfortable to type this way. Give it a try and good luck. Go figure, I thought I'd have carpel tunnel after 25 years of transcription, not elbow pain.
My left elbow is killing me! SM
Stretching out my arm and picking up a reference book is agony. An easy solution is to move all my books to my right side, but is this caused by MTing or sleeping on it (I almost always sleep on my left side with that arm folded under my pillow) or combo of the two? I've typed about "elbow cradles"...do they help? Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Chickadee
I have elbow pain but tell me more about this, first I have heard of
the cause as in using your mouse. I thought it might be related to a fibromyalgia problem I have. It hurts so much. I, thank goodness, have never had any repetative typing issues as with carpal tunnel but did notic this. Fill me in some on this. Thanks.
Here's what's been working for my elbow pain: (sm)
Mine is due to bone spurs in the elbows, impinging on the ulnar nerve. Although typing in my lap helped, it wasn't the ultimate answer. I shelled out the bucks and bought an adjustable Humanscale keyboard tray that is mounted under the desk. When I drop the keyboard tray down to lap level, the keyboard itself is just slightly higher, which seems to be my best position. I also got softest, cushiest gel wrist pad I could find.
The main thing has been to keep the elbow angles open. Mine has to be anything greater than a 90-degree angle, or else I get lots of pain all the way down to the little finger... feels like a headache in my forearm and hand.
Also try not to sleep with your elbows bent beyond 90 degrees, either. I tried different pain meds for when it flares up.... it takes a bit of experimentation. Aspirin didn't work at all, but ibuprofen & Tylenol seem to work best.
I had to stop including full push-ups in my workouts, too. I can do them to a limited degree by staring at the top and going only halfway down. I also avoid resting my elbows or forearms on tables, armrests, etc. (I removed the armrests from my office chair... don't need them anyway, with the keyboard tray.)
Get the softest-touch keyboard you can find, too. I found that the stiffer ones that required a harder touch to operate created enough impact to get the elbow sore, starting at the finger and working its way up.
If it's muscle pain, sometimes the cream called "Flexall" works well for me. (Especially on my NECK!) But my elbow pain is obviously an irritated nerve, and Flexall doesn't touch that.
The same as you, the pain started after about 25 years, but I don't really attribute it to typing -- typing just exacerbates it.
Good luck, and keep trying different things 'til you find something that works!
Reverse tennis elbow? sm
After 10 years of transcribing, just the last couple of months I am having inflammation and tenderness on the inside of my left elbow. Not on the right, just the left. Ergonomics? Might be. I have tried putting a folded up towel on the arm of my chair, raising my elbow, and that helps a little. Anyone else every had this?
Be careful you dont strain your elbow again.
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My right elbow is killing me. Feels like the muscle has torn.
dd
No my elbow doesn't hurt, I think you missed the point.
Once I helped someone I didn't smirk, smile, and pat myself on the back, or bend my elbow. What I did was get on with daily living. Helping people comes in all forms, not necessarily in money form, maybe just smiling at someone who is sad or having a bad day, people have done that for me. Maybe not kicking the dog when you have a bad day, things like that. Not too complicated. Just what we are supposed to do if we are raised right.
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