Acute and Chronic Elbow Pain Treatments at Home

To care for acute or chronic elbow pain at home, it is important to take the following steps:

1. First, try to rest your elbow and avoid any activities that can cause further discomfort or worsen of symptoms. Avoid lifting heavy objects, as this can put additional strain on the joint and increase pain. For extra support, you may consider wearing a splint or elastic bandage around your elbow to prevent movement of the joint.
2. Ice the affected area to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Applying a cold pack for about 15 minutes several times a day can be very effective in treating the pain associated with an injured elbow joint. It is also important to keep the ice from directly touching your skin to avoid tissue damage from extremely cold temperatures.
3. Take medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium as directed by your doctor in order to reduce swelling and pain associated with a swollen elbow joint or tendinitis caused by repetitive motions like typing on computers or smartphones for extended periods of time.
4. Do gentle exercises such as range-of-motion exercises or stretches recommended by a physical therapist to help strengthen surrounding muscles and increase flexibility in the elbow joint if needed. Make sure not to overdo it because too much stress on an already sore joint can worsen symptoms significantly instead of relieving them; pay attention to how your body responds when doing these exercises and be patient while recovering from an elbow injury or chronic pain as well.

Seek professional help if symptoms are severe, persistent, or not responding adequately enough to these at-home treatments after two weeks of implementation.

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