Golfer’s Elbow Treatment in Singapore

Golfer's elbow is a kind of pain that you may experience if you overuse or continuously strain your forearm muscles. Common causes of golfer’s elbow include the following kinds of hobbies and jobs:

• Golf: Of course, swinging a golf club is one of the most common reasons why those tendons and muscles of your forearm become strained and overworked.
• Tennis: The regular and ongoing tension that you create in your forearm muscles during a game of tennis is a common cause of golfer's elbow.
• Sports: While golf and tennis are the most common causes, it is not unusual to see golfer’s elbow in people who play baseball or bowling due to the repetitive movement required.
• Weight Lifting: With the repetitive movements required in many workouts, golfer’s elbow is a condition that often affects regular weightlifters.
• Builders: Carpenters, painters, plumbers, and other professionals who need to grip, twist, and throw materials regularly need to move their arms in such a way that increases their likelihood of getting a golfer's elbow.
• Problematic workouts: Any sport or professional can increase your likelihood of getting a golfer's elbow when you don't warm up or when you have bad form during the movements.

The average healing time of a golfer's elbow depends on both the severity of the condition as well as how effectively the treatment is managed. Minor cases that are ignored for too long can become long-term uncontrolled issues. On the other side of things, more severe cases can be quickly and effectively managed if you see a healthcare professional early on and diligently follow the treatment plan.

Golfer's elbow treatments range from physical therapy to anti-inflammatory drugs to the simple rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) method. In most cases, these treatments can successfully treat the inflammation within a few weeks to a few months. Again, in this case, your exact time will depend on the severity as well as your overall health.

In more severe cases, your doctor might recommend additional treatments like corticosteroid injections or surgery. Both of these treatment options will increase your healing time to up to six months.

Though the symptoms of golfer's elbow can be pretty intense and incredibly persistent, golfer’s elbow is an issue that is highly treatable and can usually be resolved completely. As soon as you start treatment, you will see noticeable improvements in the amount of pain and your general mobility.

The key to successful treatment comes down to following your doctor’s exact recommendations. Too often we hear from people who have ignored the symptoms and avoided getting an official diagnosis. While that is completely understandable --- after all, who wants to go on a trip to the doctor’s office if they don’t need it? --- it only delays your recovery and causes you to live with the pain even longer.

When golfer's elbow is caught early in its onset, you may need nothing more than a couple of days of rest and regular ice treatments. The longer that you have a golfer's elbow, however, the more severe your issue will become. In these more advanced cases, you may need physical therapy and medication. In the most severe of cases, you may need surgery.

While the level of severity varies in any case of golfer’s elbow, following a treatment plan will make a dramatic difference to your condition, if not eliminate it. 

It's vital to keep in mind that while appropriate treatment may resolve or help with the symptoms of golfer's elbow, the underlying cause will remain in many cases. Whether it is your favourite sport or the demands of your profession, golfer's elbow can come back again if you continue with the same activities. It is important to talk with your doctor about the options for prevention and management. A physical therapist can help you devise a workout plan and possible lifestyle changes to prevent the issue from popping up again.

It is important to start with golfer’s elbow treatments as soon as you notice any symptoms. From at-home treatments to physical therapy to surgery, there is a solution for every case.

Let’s look at the best way to treat golfer’s elbow at home, and consider at what point you should get to the doctor for testing and diagnosis.

• Rest: This is your first step. Laying off your injured arm and avoiding activities that cause pain are two of the most crucial things you can do. You need to get the injured tendon time to recover and this is something that you absolutely can’t delay or avoid.
• Ice: Applying ice to your elbow will help to reduce your discomfort as well as the swelling that is causing pain. During the first couple of days, several times each every few hours, apply ice for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
• Compression: Putting a brace or compression band across your forearm can help ease the pain and provide support to affected muscles and tendons. While you can buy bands and braces over the counter, it is important to have your doctor recommend the right option for you.
• Medication: Over-the-counter painkillers like naproxen or ibuprofen will help relieve inflammation and discomfort.
• Physical therapy: A physical therapist will show you stretching and strengthening exercises for the muscles and tendons that are injured. Working with a healthcare professional will also connect you with treatment methods like dry needling, massage, or ultrasounds to boost your results.
• Injections: Treatments with corticosteroids may be advised by your doctor to help get rid of inflammation and pain if the other forms of therapy listed above haven’t been ineffective for you.
• Surgery: In very rare circumstances, surgery can be required to repair the torn tendon. This is always the very last resort after all of the other options have been exhausted.

If you think you could have golfer's elbow, it is crucial to visit a doctor as soon as possible. The prompt treatment makes a world of difference and will prevent the pain from getting worse.

Massaging your arm can help give you some relief and speed up recovery. It is crucial to note, however, that while massage can be helpful, it can’t take the place of appropriate medical care. There is also a risk of worsening the problem if the massage is not done properly.

If you’re in pain, you need to see a doctor for an appropriate diagnosis and treatment plan. While you can start with resting and icing it, it is important to see a doctor if you are in pain for more than a week or if you are suffering from chronic or severe discomfort.

While stretching can help with certain types of elbow conditions, it’s not great for a golfer's elbow, especially in the early stages.

When you stretch your wrist flexor muscles, which are connected to the medial epicondyle of the elbow (the area that is hurting right now), you can make the problem worse.

Instead of stretching, reach for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) to reduce swelling and pain. Most importantly, rest your arm.

After getting the diagnosis and starting with a treatment plan, your doctor might advise certain exercises or physical treatments to strengthen your muscles and boost your flexibility.

As always, it is important to start with an initial doctor’s visit. If you just guess your way around at home, you can make the problem worse.

When you have golfer’s elbow, it is critical to avoid certain movements. When you create tension in your forearm muscles and tendons, you risk worsening the pain and swelling. Here are a few types of movements and exercises that you will want to avoid:

• Heavy Lifting: Avoid lifting anything, especially with a pronated grip (which means having your palms facing down).
• Forearm Workouts: Exercises like pull-ups, chin-ups, push-ups, and pull-downs are especially hard on your forearms so avoid them when you’re dealing with elbow pain.
• Curl Arm Workouts: Workouts that require you to bend your elbow while holding a weight can make the swelling worse. This includes biceps curls and hammer curls as they both put too much stress on your already inflamed tendons.

If rest, ice, and over-the-counter medication don't help with your Golfer's Elbow pain and tenderness, it is time to book a doctor’s appointment.

Think that it could be an emergency? Here are a few signs that you need to urgently see someone:

• Your elbow is burning and swollen
• You can't bend your elbow
• There’s a visible deformity
• You think the bone may be broken