The Elbow

The olecranon is the pointy bone at the tip of the elbow. The bursa is the thin sac of fluid that lies between this boney tip and the skin. It helps the skin slide over the bone smoothly. Normally, this sac has only a tiny bit of fluid inside of it and lays flat. However, the bursa can become irritated or inflamed and fill with extra fluid. When this happens, a painful swelling develops at the back of the elbow. This swelling is olecranon bursitis.

Pain after an injury or surgery is common. There are many ways to manage and reduce this pain that may or may not include medication. Each patient, surgery, and surgeon are unique, and the approach to pain management is different for everyone.

Opioids are a type of pain medication made from the poppy plant. It is the same plant that is used to make opium and heroin. They are effective for treating acute or new pain after an injury or surgery.

Arthritis describes any condition where cartilage in the joint breaks down. Normally, a joint consists of two smooth, cartilage-covered bone surfaces that fit together as a matched set and glide against one other.

Scar formation is a normal response following any injury or surgery; it is the way the body heals injured structures. Scar tissue may involve only the superficial skin, or it may involve the deeper tissues beneath the skin, including nerves and tendons.

Cancer of the skin is a change in your skin cells during which they grow abnormally and form a malignant tumor. These abnormal cells can invade your body, become implanted in other organs, and continue to grow, a process called metastasis.

Lateral epicondylitis, commonly known as “tennis elbow,” is a painful condition involving the tendons that attach to the bone on the outside (lateral) part of the elbow.