Year and a half ? damm I was hoping no more than 3 - 6 months and I'm at 3 months now. I can go 4, 5 days start thinking it's all cured up and then push it just that tiny bit more than I should've ( and sometimes I don't know what I did ) and it's like starting all over. " Stay off it, but keep stretching it"
I've had it for a LONG time, it would kid of come and go. After an extended bout, I finally went to a Sports Med Dr. I went through phys therapy, had some kind of treatment where they put an injectable steriod on an electrode, the on my elbow. It ran an electric current through it. Supposed to 'pull' the steriod into the elbow. I did this at phusical therapy twice a week along with some deep tissue massage, and some stretches. After about 6 weeks (no improvement) I got a cortisone shot. That took the sharp localized pain from a 10 to a 7, but then my elbow joint was constantly sore. This is when I seriously considered surgery. All alon I had been wearing the band on my forearm, and that probably helped the most. I would ice it a couple times an evening and take Alieve, and try not to use my hand much. Keep stretching though or your elbow will begin to stiffen up. Probably about 3 mos after the shot, the pain slowly subsided, maybe 6 mos after shot, I probably felt about 85% (witch to me was great!) It's been about a year after the shot, and it still reminds me it's there, but it's not pain anymore, just mildly sore if I don't warm up and stretch before heavy use. Rubber ice bag from drug store, 20% alcohol 80% water, freezes to a slush, still use it almost everyday somewhere. Sorry to hijack my own thread!
I "tore/stretched" tendons on both sides so actually have tennis elbow and golf elbow. Doc doesn't want me using bands or supports but I've slung my arm a couple afternoons when I've overdone it. I have a hydrocodone scrip but I'm sticking with acetaminophen . I chose not to do the cortisone shot and the searing pain has mostly went away ( until I go to pick something up ). I can pick up a 12 ounce can of coffee off the floor now without too much burn so I'm gonna start putting some weight in an empty coffee can. Just trying to measure some kind of progress somehow. I don't think I can even go a half hour without stretching or it will start stiffening right up.
So, I went to the Dr. yesterday, and like most of my joint diagnosises, it's arthritis. There are some bone spurs in the shoulder and lots of inflamation. Got a strong anti-inflamatory, a list of excersizes, and a follow up appt in 3 weeks. Apparently the ends of my bones shouldn't look like a mushroomed splitting wedge head!
You're too young to have to deal with arthritis. I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe the meds will do the trick.
Old Arthur has no problem with who he attacks; young or old. Like the old maid said, "I know those Ritis brothers and that Arthur is the worst of the bunch."
