FAMILY MEDICINE® COLUMN

By Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A.
Assistant Professor of Family Medicine
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

READER'S TENNIS ELBOW MAY REALLY BE “COMPUTER MOUSE ELBOW”

Question: A couple of weeks ago, I was digging a new flower bed in very rocky soil and ended up with what I think is tendonitis in my elbow –- what I’ve heard called “tennis elbow.” I thought the pain would go away on its own in a few days, but it’s now two weeks later, and some days it’s worse than it originally was. I’m an office worker and can’t think of anything I do that would continue to aggravate it. What is the normal course of this type of injury? Is there something I can do to hasten the healing process?

Answer: Inflammation around the elbow where muscles from the forearm attach is often called tennis elbow, but as you have found out, it isn’t always due to playing tennis. In medical lingo this condition is called epicondylitis.

There are two types of epicondylitis. In the most common type, the pain is on the outside, or lateral, surface of the elbow. This “lateral epicondylitis” is seen in a wide range of situations where people overuse their arms. In addition to tennis elbow, you may also see it sometimes referred to as plasterer's elbow, carpenter's elbow, mechanic's elbow and painter's elbow. In your case, it might be “computer mouse operator's elbow.” Not such a catchy phrase is it?

Much less often, the person with epicondylitis has pain on the inside, or medial, surface of the elbow. This “medial epicondylitis” is sometimes known as “golfer's elbow.”

The pain usually comes on gradually, and is worse with activities that pull on the affected muscle and tendon. Initially resting the elbow and using ice for about 20 minutes three or four times a day can resolve the problem, if the strain isn’t too severe. Taking an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen can also be helpful.

If these simple measures don’t cause the pain to resolve promptly, you should see your primary care physician. She may want to take an X-ray to be sure nothing more serious is going on, and perform an examination of your painful elbow.

Providing she agrees with your diagnosis, you should expect a full recovery providing you rest the arm for a long enough period of time. She may recommend a prescription anti-inflammatory and some progressive exercises as the elbow gets better. Some people wear a forearm strap that helps decrease the tug on the tendon attachment. Also, steroid injections into the elbow can be helpful in cases that are refractory to conservative treatment.

It's possible, given your occupation, that the work you do at the computer everyday on your job is either causing or aggravating your problem. It might be a good idea to ask your employer to do an ergonomic evaluation of your workstation for needed modifications.

Family Medicine® is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, P.O. Box 110, Athens, Ohio 45701. Medical information in this column is provided as an educational service only. It does not replace the judgment of your personal physician, who should be relied on to diagnosis and recommend treatment for any medical conditions. Past columns are available online at http://www.FamilyMedicineNews.org.