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Pulled Elbow Treatment

A pulled elbow is a condition that usually affects children. It is more common among girls than boys and it usually occurs on the left side instead of the right. In a pulled elbow, the head of radius bone is jerked away from its attaching ligament by a sudden force. The condition is marked by significant pain.

  1. Medical Manipulation

    • The pulled elbow generally results in a dislocation. The best treatment for this problem is for a doctor to manipulate the elbow so it pops back into place. This is a painful procedure, but the pain lasts for just a few seconds. However, if the injury took place more than 12 hours prior to the visit to the doctor, reseating the elbow may not be an option.

    Splint

    • If the visit to the doctor is more than 12 hours after the injury, the doctor may believe that manipulating the elbow to try to get the joint back into place will cause additional damage. In an effort to prevent this from happening and to keep more damage from being done, he will splint the injury for a period of three to 10 days.

    X-Ray

    • If the child has been brought to the doctor's office within 12 hours but the elbow is resistant to being put back into place by careful manipulation, there may be a more serious problem, such as a fracture. In this case, the doctor will order an x-ray of the joint. If the elbow is fractured, the arm will be placed in a cast for three to eight weeks, depending on the severity of the break.

    Ice at Home

    • After the elbow has been popped into place, your child will need to rest it at home for a few days. It will also need to be treated with ice, especially in the first 24 to 48 hours after the injury. The ice will keep the swelling down and will help reduce residual pain.

    Rest

    • It's hard to keep a young child from being active, but it is important to rest the injury in the 24 to 48 hours that follow. An elbow that has been properly manipulated back into place should be strong and will probably not go back out of place, but the early movements can be painful. As a result, it is important to rest the injury in the first day or two after the incident.

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