Your elbow is sometimes called your funny bone due to that weird and painful feeling you get when you hit it on something hard. The elbow is a complex part of your body, so injuring it can keep you from doing any number of daily tasks. It is comprised of the humorous, the ulna and the radius bones as well as numerous ligaments, including the all-important ulnar collateral ligament. This complexity makes it vulnerable to injury.
Truly harming your funny bone is more than painful – it can limit your mobility in the short and long-term. Car accidents are often the cause of these type of injuries since your arms are particularly exposed during impact. Getting the professional treatment you need after a collision is vital to your recovery.
Symptoms of Elbow Injuries
After an accident, you may notice pain and bruising around your elbow as well as tightness and a lack of mobility. In the case of a fracture, you may be able to see that the bone is displaced or misshapen. You may also lack strength in your arm and hand after such an accident. If you have any problems moving your elbow, you need to seek immediate medical help.
Car accidents can cause an olecranon injury, which involves the tip of your elbow. The impact of a collision can cause a fracture in this area. Damage around the elbow can also cause problems with your radial and/or ulnar nerves. Injured tissues can place extreme pressure on these nerves, which may require surgery to correct.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Elbow Injuries
You will need to see an experienced physician in order to get the proper diagnosis and treatment for your injuries. An elbow injury often involves damage to the ligaments, nerves and bones, which makes recovery challenging.
Advanced imaging such as CT scans and MRIs may be necessary to accurately diagnose your injury. Although these tests can be expensive, they are much more technically advanced than traditional X-rays.
In some instances, you may need surgery to repair fractures and cartilage damage. Elbow patients also need expert follow-up care, including physical therapy. Remember, any accident injury can be devastating, elbow injuries included. Many of the tasks that you do with your arms and hands require a functioning elbow.
Non-surgical treatments include using casts or splints to stabilize the elbow and rehabilitation exercises, heat, ice and scar massage to restore flexibility and strength. Your medical team will decide which combination of treatments will work best for your injury.
Regional Medical Group
If you are an accident victim in the Atlanta area, you should seek treatment and case management from a Regional Medical Group location. They are experts in the treatment of collision injuries, particularly elbow issues. Their highly-trained staff can perform complicated elbow repair and offer you the support necessary to quickly recover.
At Regional Medical Group, you do not have to wait for help. They will see you promptly and make any referrals necessary for your treatment. Your finances are never an issue at RMG because you don’t pay anything out-of-pocket. The medical bills are paid from your legal settlement, so you do not have to compromise your care due to money worries.
RMG has multiple locations in and near Atlanta and throughout Georgia. For more information on their services or to set an appointment, call 404-943-9996.
