Elbow pain - how to tell if it's RA? | Arthritis Information
For the last 8 years, I've had shooting pains in my right arm, which feel especially painful in my elbow. My drs and I have always believed they were related to pinched or entrapped nerves resulting from my partially herniated cervical discs and the intractable muscle spasms in my right shoulder (front and back). It used to be my worst pain, and the one that caused me the most difficulty (I'm right handed), but Lyrica has helped significantly. In the last year or so, I've felt the pain only occasionally.
However, within the last week, I have developed similar pains in my left elbow,
without the corresponding pain and muscle spasms in my left shoulder. I'm feeling the pain in both elbows quite a bit of the time now. The herniations in my cervical discs were always mid-line, so it would make sense to get the pain on both sides, but that has never happened like this before.
I suppose it is possible my cervical discs have changed (for better or for worse) and I haven't had an MRI on them in 18 months. But I'm also wondering if it could be related to RA, especially now that it's symmetrical. Short of x-rays or an MRI on the elbows, how would I know?
Ped rheums can tell about elbows by a physical exam, so maybe your rheum can tell next visit? They bend my daughter's elbow, feel the joint, look at how far it bends.
With my RA in the elbow (one elbow) it is deep inside the center area. I feel it mostly on the outside of the elbow instead of the inside where it bends in.
You can have other problems if it is the muscle right outside of the elbow. I get swellings around the elbow in the muscles due to my food allergies, it pinches nerves sometimes and hurts all the way up to my shoulder.
My my RA is deep in the elbow center, but most of the pain does show on the outer part.
I have PsA that affects my elbows. They become swollen about the size of a quarter and are gooshy. There are all different responses here so I guess it could be anything. I know that it really hurts, no matter what position the elbow is in and for me it was worse at night. Take care. Lindy
I saw my orthopedist yesterday and he said it's definitely from my cervical herniations. Which is bad news because there's nothing more we can really do about that. I'm still planning to check with my rheumy on Thursday.
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