Update on my golfers elbow

[joekelly]

@vangator.  What 's in the cream?  Most likely it's a topical NSAID, like ibuprofen or similar.  Same cautions apply coz the drug seeps into the bloodstream, the kidneys and blood vessels.

[vangator]

The pain killer is arnica. The cream is a transdermal. Also has an anti inflammatory. Has a whole bunch of stuff. Camphor, peppermint oil. The best price I found on the net is at fern nutrition. Get the CT Cream Plus. $11.95. Give it a try. You won't be sorry. My pain was terrible and it went away in a few weeks. It takes a while because there is tremendous inflammation. Once it's gone, you'll only need a little as maintenance. It will eventually come back because you'll still be doing the same repetitive motion that caused it (ie golfing). http://www.fernsvitamins.com/Pain/ct_cream.html Also Eucalyptus Oil is a great pain killer and may dull the pain so you can golf. You'd have to spray it on your elbow every half hour or so during the round. Since my pain is basically gone, I'm not sure about the elbows, but it is great on sore or stiff necks. I get them all the time. One spray and the pain is instantly gone. I've tried everything and this is the only thing that works. Eucalyptus Oil is good for headaches too. My wife and daughter get bad headaches (possibly migraines). they've found Kwan Loong Oil works better. Both have a slight burn on the skin, but it's infinitely better than the previous pain. Can you tell I'm into homeopathic cures? I try to stay away from pills. I'm almost 60 and take no medication.

[BVAI777]

Hey try this guys if the pain is in your right elbow let your left hand become more dominant... This will help get rid of the pain for good... Vise versa if it's in the left arm...

[JML22]

Like all golfers elbow and tennis elbow, strengthening exercises are 100% needed. You cannot just rest and ice and expect the cause of the pain to go away.

[yellowboy]

Finally got it done on Tuesday !!!!!!!.(Surgery)  No golf for 3-4 months needless to say.

NO MORE ICE, CREAMS, PILLS (EXCEPT PAIN KILLERS FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS).

Time will tell, but 10 months of constant pain was too much to bear. I did play all summer, but not well. PT starts in a couple of weeks.

I'll keep you posted.

[StBarnard]

hope you recover well,  and are on the golf course in no time.

[yellowboy]

Thank you, sunny and 80 here all week, trying to find something to do !!

[StBarnard]

yellowboy,  like your avatar.  I had a yellow lab,  until he got old with cancer,  and had to put him down.  Name was Max.  Best dog I've ever had!

[yellowboy]

Thanks, His name was Gus and alas he passed of the same disease almost 3 years ago as well. He was great dog,  companion and hunter. I have a new guy now, just as great, and since I got my surgery we are driving each other crazy !

[ALS8]

I followed all the posts on this thread and was just wondering how your recovery has been going yellowboy since the surgery? I work as a treatment advisor and talk with a lot of people who suffer the same as you were. Are you still taking it easy? I hope you are finally experiencing some relief. Do you know if you ever had a completely torn tendon? I have a yellow lab as well...great hunter!

[rehmwa]

Tennis elbow since end of August (right arm, right handed).

PT started about 4 weeks ago.  And I stopped lifting weights for now.  very frustrating.

initially it was clear I had a ton of inflammation and the joint was being pulled out of alignment.

starting with separating the joint 2-3 times a day followed by very deep message of the forearm muscles - this seemed to put it back in place and get the blood flow moving

(I think the goal was to get the inflammation down and get the bones to stay aligned - the tight muscles were pulling it out of place)

Once the joint stayed put and the inflammation went down, I only separated the joint if I had sharp pain (I'm under the theory that I was getting nerves pinched)

Last couple weeks I've stopped the separations completely and just work on keeping the muscles loose and nerve gliding.  message, ART, using a flat edge to dig and dig (I can take that no issue, the deeper the push the better frankly) - still hard to get the muscles to release.....

Swellling is gone, the joint stays in place.  there's a ton of popping and cracking when I move and flex my wrists and elbows.  I think that's a good sign as movement means more chances for stuff to get back and stay into the right places.

I suspect keeping the muscles loose keeps tension off the attachment so it can heal easier.

Keeping everything stretched and loose and watching posture - also changed my work station so mousing and keyboard minimize flexing the backs of my forearms.  Gonna remove the arms from my chair too.

Pain is gone, only dull burns remain when the forearm gets tight.  can relieve that with the high intensity massage and Advil.

So 2-3 times daily - heavy duty message, nerve gliding, eccentric weight lifting

But still, certain moves spike pain (upright rows, etc).  But seems like it's getting better consistently.

I don't think this will be a month recovery, suspect it'll take all winter.  I might stop PT visits and stick with what I'm doing now and see how it goes for a month or so.

I really like the idea of a simple cream, or Castor oil poutice wraps, etc,,,,,but I'm skeptical.  Seems that repair and strengthening is always the real thing, all others a bit placebo....but I like placebos if they work and it doesn't have to be mutually exclusive from the 'real' stuff (ie. I have no issue using a cream AND working and strengthening)

(I had a black lab, a chesapeake, and a wolf-collie mix - real dogs are great)

[yellowboy]

ALS8, Thanks for asking.

Well I did everything I was supposed to , PT, rest, no golf, exercises and unfortunately it's not over. Shortly after my surgery my pinky and ring finger started tingling and going numb and he thinks that there is a post operative pinched nerve and he may have to go in there again. #@$%!&*!!

He told me that 6 weeks ago but could not get me in for an EMG until tomorrow, so I'll know more then. The pain is gone, but I would like to get rid of this numbness as well.  I'll keep you posted.

I am skeptical on creams,etc.as well but I just gave you "no cut" folks some fodder against surgery !

Still can't golf of course, but at least me and my new yellowboy have been getting pheasants as  I can hunt !

[ALS8]

Hi rehmwa. There is a great elbow wrap i would recommend. It emits electro-magnetic energy which sends a signal to the rest of our body, telling it that this specific area needs more blood flow. The blood flow this electro-magnetic promotes is full of the oxygen and nutrients you need in order to be able to heal, and at an accelerate rate. The increased blood flow also lubricates the area helping prevent any further damage during movements. It is called BFST (blood flow stimulation therapy). I would also recommend putting a cold compress on right after a lot of your exercises. The cold is important because even though the visible swelling is down, there may be internal inflammation still present. When inflammation is present, your circulation is prohibited and can't do the healing it needs to. This is why it is always best to do a cold treatment especially after any activity.

[ALS8]

Sorry to hear yellowboy that you now have to experience something else. If it is a pinched nerve, I would recommend putting a cold compress on it (either wrist or elbow area). We have 9 tendons and one nerve running from our wrist up past our elbow. If even one of these tendons becomes inflamed, it puts pressure on the rest, included the nerve. Cold will help bring down any inflammation.

I love filling my freezer with partridge through the fall :)

[yellowboy]

Thanks ALS8, I wish the surgeon would have told me that, but you know how they work- they give you 1 minute of their time per visit.

HE IS NOT GETTING OFF THAT EASY TOMORROW !

All the hunt-able ring-necked  pheasants here in PA are stocked by the state (not wild) but the dog does not care and they taste good !

[natureboy]

I had minor L elbow pain (right handed swing), and agree that mats and too steep angle of attack in general made it worse. I have worked to be shallower through impact with my irons and lighten grip pressure.

What also seemed to help me was regular self-massage of the forearm muscles around the elbow near the funny bone. Also regular periodic stretching of the 'bottom' forearm muscles (pull back on tips of fingers with other hand until you feel a gentle stretch in bottom of forearm).

[ALS8]

Make sure and let us know how it goes today Yellowboy.

[rehmwa]

Last PT today - given a lot of weird strengthening exercises.  Improved a lot more than I thought I had.  Good thing we took a baseline the first day.  I'll start lifting again and keep working this thing.  Hopefully gone in a couple months or I'll be getting x-rays and seeing if I'm going to follow Yellow under the knife.