Lionheart

I couldn't find an injury forum, so I'm posting to 50+...

More than a year on from a minor crash where I fell on my elbow causing "nerve damage". I'm still experiencing pain whenever I rub my elbow the wrong way. When it hurts, it really hurts. Anyway, soon afterward the doctor said it "might get better". I was skeptical then, and now it kinda seems like it's getting worse.

I figure there must be a lotta people out there falling on their elbows, and maybe suffering the same issue. So, does anyone have any wisdom?

TIA,
Lionheart

CB HI

See a different doctor.

AlexCyclistRoch

Sometimes, you just have to 'work through the pain'.

FBinNY 

So don't rub it that way anymore. Problem solved.

JanMM

I've fallen twice and both times hit my left elbow hard enough to cause a gash but luckily no other issues, either short- or long-term. Might want to see a healthcare practitioner again for an evaluation.

JohnDThompson 

Damaged nerves can take a long time to heal. Sometimes they never completely heal. If the pain is chronic, there are meds (e.g. gabapentin) that can help.

BlazingPedals

I injured a tendon in my elbow that took just about 10 years to fully heal. But I just stayed away from doing anything that made it hurt, and eventually it got better. Hang in there.

Lucillle

I agree on the second opinion.

FullGas

was hit by a car in Aug and spent the nite in the ER.

numerous abrasions, separated shoulder, concussion, broken thumb...but the most painful injury is my elbow which had no outward sign of impact. no laceration, abrasion, or bruising.

xrays show nothing, so apparently it's soft tissue damage...NSAIDs, massage, chiropractic, heat/ice, PT have all failed to make any significant difference.

it doesn't hurt constantly, but when it does, it's really painful.

some improvement would be great, but not expecting anything to happen quickly.

bykemike 

Same here, if I try and straighten out my right arm after it being bent for a while it hurts like heck, been all of 10 years but a bit better the last few months I noticed.

texaspandj

The Dr said the nerves would take about a year to heal, that was 36 years ago. If I hit it just wrong, Yikes it hurts like hell. However admittedly it really got better, but it took several years. It helped that I was 17 at the time. Mine is located in the wrist and forearm area.

02Giant 

Another nod to getting a second opinion.

berner

Nerves are tricky. I third the idea of a second opinion. Drs are not the pope and therefore not infallible. In fact, my observation of a few of their medical opinions are sometimes wild guesses.

FBOATSB

I realize this is not elbow related, but after spine surgery and severe nerve damage to one leg, the surgeon told me what feeling did not return after a few years I should consider to be permanent. As always, YMMV

Besides, the older you get the more things start to hurt.

JanMM

Very painful to read that.......

Dave Cutter

I'd mention to the doctor again.

But this IS the over 50 forum. Don't expect everything to heal overnight anymore. Some aches and pains picked up now.... although not serious... may be taken to the grave. I hurt a hip in a stuck clipless pedal fall... and it hurt for over two years.

Stop rubbing it! The sooner you forget about it... the sooner it will forget about you (or so it can seem).

coominya

That's what the doctors told my uncle after he'd fallen off a ladder and dislocated his shoulder, sent him to a physio for 3 months of pain before he decided to see an old chiropractor he'd seen about a back pain years before. The chiro traced it to a bone out of place in his neck, one treatment and all the pain went away.

You might be skeptical but one trip to a chiro wont cost much, and contrary to what the drug peddlers would tell you, they don't put people into wheelchairs.

Stopalot

I had a severe arm injury in July 2012 from a bike accident. 56 at the time. Went over the handlebars and landed on cement elbow first! The cement won! Shattered my right humerus. I had nerve damage down my forearm into my hand especially thumb, index and middle finger. Today, I still have numbness that runs from my elbow to my thumb. I was told that nerves regenerate very slowly. Fortunately the numbness for me only affects about 1/3 of the circumference of my arm. I have so much titanium holding my humerus together I say my arm is the quarter million dollar arm! You will get use to it and it will just become an annoyance. I had the second opinion and do Chiro treatments. Good luck and keep on riding.

JeffAug13

I had a bone spur on my elbow that acted a lot like what you describe. Was hit by a car on my bike (totally my fault) Had it removed 10 years later. All good, but I have a pointy elbow

bikesf1

Funny, you mention this. I have the exact same issue. I fell off my bike 2 years ago. Not a bad fall but I landed on my elbow. It only hurts when I'm reading in bed and am on my front. It's a shooting pain. I always assumed that it would just get better by itself. It hasn't. I've just learned not to put pressure on it. I've never seen a doctor and I wasn't even sure it was nerve pain but that must be what it is.....

locolobo13 

Agree on second opinion.

That said, a physical therapist might be able to help you. It sounds like you need to explore what you can do and cannot do to work around your elbow problem. Then slowly try to improve the elbow. As others have said some injuries can take a long time to heal.