4 Nonsurgical Treatments for Elbow Injuries

Most elbow pain responds to conservative treatment. You can often manage elbow pain with proper activity modifications and physical therapy. Heat, Ice and occasional NSAIDs may also help. 

However, elbow pain that becomes chronic (long-lasting) calls for stronger treatment. 

You might struggle with the idea of getting surgery. Between a longer healing time, potential complications, and activity limitations, the possible benefits of surgery don’t always seem like they’re worth the trouble. 

If you would prefer nonsurgical treatment for chronic elbow pain, regenerative specialist Glenn M. Flanagan, MD, can help. He provides the latest and most advanced nonsurgical treatments for joint pain at Naples Regenerative Institute in Naples, Florida. 

In this blog post, you’ll learn about four of Dr. Flanagan’s most effective nonsurgical procedures for treating elbow injuries:

1. Stem cell therapy

Stem cell therapy is an injectable treatment that triggers the natural injury healing process. After harvesting living stem cells along with other cells from your own bone marrow, Dr. Flanagan concentrates them in a centrifuge. Mesenchymal stem cells make up a portion of the final concentration of cells prepared for treatment.  

Once the stem cells are concentrated and ready, Dr. Flanagan can inject them into your injured elbow. In and around the joint, the stem cells facilitate the healing of injured cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and other tissues.  

The results of stem cell therapy vary, but some people experience improvements in pain and injuries for a year or longer. 

2. PRP therapy

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is another regenerative treatment, which means it helps heal injuries by stimulating and healing the targeted tissue. 

PRP is a substance derived from your blood. Dr. Flanagan processes a blood sample in a centrifuge to remove most of the red blood cells, leaving behind high concentrations of platelets and white blood cells suspended in liquid plasma.  Different PRP concentrations are prepared for different target areas based on the available evidence. 

The platelets in PRP begin the healing process and draw more growth factors to the injection site. They also influence the activity of stem cells locally around the injured areas. 

To provide PRP injections safely, Dr. Flanagan uses imaging technology to guide the needle into the injured part of your elbow. He also uses an analyzer to determine the appropriate dose of PRP for your treatment. 

3. Prolotherapy

Prolotherapy helps heal joint injuries by triggering inflammation in the area. To perform the prolotherapy treatment, Dr. Flanagan injects a concentrated dextrose (sugar) solution into and around the joint. This solution irritates the tissues, and your body responds by starting to heal the areas. 

Based on your needs and preferences, Dr. Flanagan might recommend combining prolotherapy with another nonsurgical treatment for elbow pain, like PRP. Combining two therapies may strengthen the healing process in the injured tissues. 

4. Low-dose steroids

Cortisone injections (steroid injections) are a popular treatment for reducing inflammation, which ultimately helps reduce pain in joints and elsewhere. These are usually an option when other noninvasive treatments, like physical therapy, aren’t sufficient to manage joint pain on their own.

Dr. Flanagan uses imaging technology to guide the injection to the injured part of your elbow after numbing the injection site. Often, pain relief from cortisone injections lasts for several months or longer. 

Because steroid treatments come with risks, including necrosis (tissue death), Dr. Flanagan uses them sparingly. He specializes in low-dose steroid injections to minimize these risks in your treatment. 

Get in touch

Dr. Flanagan can evaluate your elbow injury and tell you your best options for nonsurgical treatment. Call Naples Regenerative Institute or request an appointment online to discuss your elbow pain today.