Help please...... pain in elbow is bad. Do I increase Pred or try and put up with it and take Naproxen or Paracetamol an hope it goes away.

[suzieh]

I was probably silly but scrubbed the decking 2 days ago - now have a very painful left elbow joint. Never had pain here before - I assume it is the PMR. I am on 12mg of Pred. Should I increase it - if so by how much and how long? Or should I try and put up with the pain and just take paracetamol - I have Naproxen or Ibuprofen would one of these be ok to take to ease my elbow? I am due my blood test on Monday so don't want to get a false result. Advice please

[Polywotsit PMRGCAuk team member]

Sorry to hear you have been overdoing it! No, don't increase the prednisolone. This pain is likely to be 'tennis elbow' where the tendons have been rubbing on the bone, and not PMR. You might find that an ibuprofen gel applied every few hours might ease it quite a bit.

Hope it's better soon!

[suzieh in reply to Polywotsit]

Thanks for quick reply - pains make me full of dread nowadays ! I have taken some paracetamol and sprayed it with freeze spray - feels a bit better at present as long as I don't twist it

[2watsons]

Yes sounds like tennis elbow ,as Kate says i get it sometimes , hope it goes soon .Good luck

[suzieh in reply to 2watsons]

Thanks for quick response... very reassuring.

[Juniperina]

If it's tennis elbow, the best "doctor" would be a physiotherapist. It may take long time to recuperate, but if you get good gymnastics-instructions, it'll be better soon.

Hope you don't suffer any more!

[tomasina]

Hi Suzieh,

Definitely do not increase your Prednisolone. I would advise you take Paracetamol and apply ice alternated with warm pads. Give yourself time to get over your activities. You cannot blame everything on PMR, and the less Prednisolone you can take, the better.

Good luck.

Tomasina

[Patsy235]

Hi, Before I was diagnosed with PMR I kept getting swellings on my elbow over my knees and ankles a bit like bursitus. Valtoral injections were given by my GP as I have other troubles that were primary. The last Rhumy who took one look at my poor shoulders and said you have PMR now with Gca - he also told me that skin tissues can swell if PMR is not fully controlled so I would guess it is linked - got to be lucky and get a really up to date Rhumy that knows a lot on PMR. I had suffered for over a year. Good Luck on your journey

[Hidden]

Hi suzieh,

I think you have 'tennis elbow' for sure. It is a side effect of pred. I have had this condition in my knee and elbow joints all at once. It was so bad in my left elbow that I had to strap the joint up so that I could use it - an intern doctor who was 'filling in' for my specialist whilst she was on hols told me my pain was due to osteo arthritis. I thought b-------s. I knew what it was. Since then, I have recovered and my joints are pain-free.

'xScuse the dashes, but sometimes the gnashing of teeth just doesn't do it for me and the Yorkshire blood rises. I took ibuprofen to help, and it did - I avoided going up again on pred.

Pats.

[cynbil]

This definitely sound like tennis elbow, which can last quite a while, your doctor may suggest a steroid injection. I did some thing similar and had the injection and it responded very quickly. i too am pma sufferer for over 6yrs. Good luck and I hope tou feel better soon Cunbil x x

[soojay]

Do not raise Pred. willy nilly............Good Luck and stop scrubbing!!!!!!Hug.