Arthritis of the Elbow

What is Arthritis of the Elbow?

Arthritis, in general, refers to the inflammation of a joint. This can cause pain, swelling, stiffness, and other similar symptoms in the joint it affects. Arthritis of the elbow can be a part of the aging process where the cartilage found in the joint is worn down over time due to a combination of wear and tear and genetics. Trauma, tears, or other injuries to the cartilage can also result in arthritis. Other patients may experience arthritis of the elbow as a degenerative or autoimmune condition, which results in the same symptoms, but from a different cause. Dr. Joseph Lamplot, orthopedic elbow specialist, treats patients in Arlington Heights, Kildeer, Lake Zurich, Barrington, and the surrounding Northwest Suburbs of Chicago, IL, who have experienced arthritis of the elbow.

What are the symptoms of arthritis of the elbow?

Symptoms will vary from mild to moderate and severe depending on the progression of the condition. Most patients will begin to notice mild and often intermittent symptoms that worsen with time including:

• Pain in the elbow: Pain may be located only within the elbow joint, in multiple joints of the arm, or during specific motions, depending on the cause of arthritis.
• Swelling: Some patients may experience swelling of the elbow joint itself. Other patients may experience numbness in their pinky and ring fingers as a result of swelling within their elbow joint causing irritation of surrounding nerves.
• Stiffness or decreased range of motion in the elbow
• “Locking” or “catching” sensation in the elbow during movement

How is arthritis of the elbow diagnosed?

If arthritis of the elbow is suspected, Dr. Lamplot will first evaluate the patient’s medical history, including any previous injuries, surgeries, and any symptoms or concerns the patient may have. He will also perform a physical examination to determine the patient’s range of motion in their elbow, as well as the presence of any swelling, tenderness, or areas of increased pain. Dr. Lamplot may also order additional diagnostic imaging such as X-rays or an MRI scan to provide him with more information to make a diagnosis and formulate a treatment plan.

How is arthritis of the elbow treated?

There are many treatment options ranging from conservative, non-surgical approaches, to surgical treatments. Dr. Lamplot will make treatment recommendations tailored to each patient to help alleviate their symptoms.

Non-surgical treatments:

• Rest, icing, and heating of the affected elbow
• Pain management through nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), which may be topical (gel) or oral (pills)
• Bracing or splinting to provide extra support for the joint
• Corticosteroid injection for pain and swelling relief

Surgical Treatments:

Dr. Lamplot prefers to use non-surgical interventions for arthritis of the elbow when possible. However, some patients that do not respond to non-surgical treatments may wish to consider surgery. These surgical treatment options include:

• Arthroscopic debridement: A minimally invasive technique where Dr. Lamplot will remove any inflamed or damaged tissue within the elbow joint to improve pain, range of motion, and function.
• Open debridement: This procedure will remove small sections of tissue as well as bone spurs within the elbow joint to allow for a greater range of motion of the joint. This will also alleviate pain by removing damaged components of the joint. This is performed when the arthritis is too extensive for a minimally invasive approach.
• Elbow joint replacement: This procedure involves complete removal of the damaged, painful joint and accompanying bone sections. The elbow joint is then replaced using surgical implants that mimic the patient’s original elbow joint.