Swollen Elbow With Fluid
Treatment for a Swollen Elbow with Fluid in it
The likelihood of getting a swollen elbow with fluid in it increases as we age. This is especially true if you take part in some sort of an activity that involves a repetitive elbow motion (like tennis, for example). However, even if all you do is sit at a desk all day (working at a computer, perhaps) the repeated pressure on your elbows may lead to a swollen elbow with fluid in it.
Olecranon Bursitis
The medical name for a swollen elbow with fluid in it is “olecranon bursitis.” The bursa (coming from the Latin word meaning “purse”) are the fluid filled pouches that enclose most of our joints and keep our bones from wearing at each other as we go about our daily activities. The fluid that fills the bursa and the soft tissue that actually separates the bones are both given the name, synovial (as in “synovial fluid” and “synovial membrane”), a name meaning “egg like” because it resemblances egg whites. Olecranon is simply the Latin name of the elbow.
As with any machine, the bursa contain the lubricant that keeps things moving along correctly. We only really notice it when there is a problem.
Bursitis is any irritation or inflammation to one of the pouches (bursa) containing the synovial fluid. Because the bursa are self-contained pouches, any inflammation has no means of escape and so will simply balloon at the joint. Often this will cause a drooping fluid-filled pouch to descend from the elbow.
Treatment
Typically, the first line of defense is rest. If the bursitis results from some sort of repeated action, the patient should refrain from this action until his or her bursitis clears. Typically, the body will slowly reabsorb the fluid in the elbow. This could, of course, be more difficult if the action is one required by the patient’s work rather than just a hobby, but cutting out the irritating activity is the best, most natural treatment for bursitis.
Often a physician will also prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication for the patient to take orally or apply over the elbow itself. These medications will help reduce the swollen elbow with fluid in it to a more manageable size and often reduce the pain and discomfort that may accompany this condition.
If the condition does not improve over time, the physician may aspirate the bursitis by sticking a needle into the elbow and draining the excess fluid. Sometimes this will be enough to put an end to the condition but often the condition will recur.
If the patient cannot refrain from putting pressure on the elbow or if the elbow has simply developed a propensity for re-injury, then the condition may start to recur chronically. For such chronic recurrence of olecranon bursitis, the final treatment may involve surgery to repair the elbow once and for all.
Gout and Infection
Olecranon bursitis also has a couple of less likely causes. First, if you were to incur an injury to your elbow such as from sliding along asphalt, you might get an infection to the location. If an infection is the cause of your swollen elbow, then the treatment is likely to involve antibiotics rather than just rest. Other symptoms of infection may also be present, such as fever, if this is the cause.
Olecranon bursitis may also occur because of certain non-traumatic conditions as well. Gout is one of the leading causes. A person suffering from gout is unable to process uric acid properly, which may lead to the build up of crystals in the bursa. As with other treatments for olecranon bursitis, physicians will often treat gout with anti-inflammatory medications.