Joe A Shaw PA-C - 3/27/2008

Question
Good morning.
Almost a year ago I was hit by a car. I was lucky to walk away from it. I did however have arm/wrist/shoulder pain.  The first orthp I went to said there was a torn ligament in my elbow. MRI confirmed it. He said not much can be done. Rest and ibuprofens. Months went by and still no relief. I went to a 2nd ortho for a 2nd opinion. He said the same thing. But now I have carpel tunnel due to the usage of my arm and not much rest. He suggested I wear splints as much as possible and prescribed an anti flammitory pill.  That subsided a small amt. Went back for my followup and the elbow pain is still there. I tried to make my 3rd follow up appt but found out he retired. Went to my 3rd ortho and he reconfirmed.  He put me on some more anit flam medicine and suggested I try p.therapy.  That actually caused more pain. I also went for an EMG test and that test confirmed perm damnage to some nerve in my wrist and that the elbow pain will mostly likey either go away on its own or be permament and I will have good days and bad days.  AFter several doctor appts and copays I'm exhausted and still in pain.  The also gave me a cortizone shot in my wrist that only helped for 3wks.  Can you suggest any other alternative help because I dont feel up to going to a 4th doctor.

Answer
Juli,
Sounds frustrating for sure, but you will need to find a ortho, one who specializes in upper ext's. Ideally you need to keep going back to the same one..not jumping around. Im not sure what they/you mean a torn ligament in elbow...a sprain is technically a tear in the ligament. Like tennis elbow...microtears in the tendon(strain). If this is what it is then yeah..no surgery..and PT, time etc..hopefully it will get better..

IF the tear was a complete rupture of the ligament then it might need reattachment?. The Carpal tunnel is a whole other thing that deals with the median nerve and the website http://www.carpal-tunnel-symptoms.com goes into this in great detail.

You might have some ulnar nerve problems as this nerve kind of wraps around elbow joint area and comes through wrist area. Perhaps with scar tissue of the elbow "tear" etc..this damaged the ulnar nerve?.

There is a procedure ulnar nerve transpostion...where they move the nerve so it is not compressed..people w this have pain,numbness tingling along bottom of forearm and last 2 fingers.