Depending on the cause In elbow pain, stretching can help

Elbow pain must be clarified by the doctor
Pain in the elbow can be due to very different causes. You should therefore have appropriate complaints first clarified by the doctor. Depending on the cause, proper exercises can help to relieve the pain.

Elbow pain should be clarified by the doctor
The elbow is heavily used in many everyday activities such as carrying bags or even in various sports such as tennis or table tennis. Elbow pain is therefore not rare. There may also be many more causes behind such complaints. In addition to monotonous movements, injuries such as compression or fractures, diseases such as psoriasis or irritated nerves can be the trigger. Patients should therefore have their elbow pain clarified by a doctor.

Elbow pain is often caused by bad stress. (Image: underdogstudios / fotolia.com)

Simple exercises for the home
As the journal "Naturarzt" (issue 10/2015) reports, often muscle tensions are behind the pain. From the shoulder-neck area, from the chest and also from the back numerous muscles pull in the arm. If the cause has been found and the doctor has ruled out acute inflammation such as arthritis (arthritis) or bursal irritation, patients can take countermeasures at home with simple exercises. The news agency dpa reports on various proposals. When the pain comes from the cervical spine, stretching is particularly helpful: tilt the head to one side and gently pull it to one side with your hand. The stretch should be held for about 20 to 30 seconds and then released slowly.

Finger flexor muscles as a trigger of pain
However, if the cause lies in the shoulder girdle, then you can, for example, stand in the door frame, place the arm at a right angle with the inside at the level of the shoulder joint on the frame and slowly turn the upper body away from the arm. You can feel the stretching especially in the pectoral muscle and in the upper arm. In the so-called "golfer's elbow" (epicondylitis humeri medialis), the finger flexor muscles are often trigger for the pain. These can be stretched by stretching the arm horizontally forward with the inside of the arm facing upwards and the fingers pointing to the ground. In this position the fingers are grabbed with the other hand and pulled back or stretched.

Natural remedies can help
Depending on the diagnosis, elbow pain can also be supplemented by natural remedies. For example, ice therapy can not only relieve pain, but also reduce the power of inflammation. In natural medicine, among other things, the medicinal plant African devil's claw is used in joint pain. Depending on the cause of the pain in the elbow, sometimes acupuncture may also contribute to the relief of pain. (Ad)