Chronic Elbow Pain ( Intensified Extremely by a TENS unit )

Hello all, first post here need some serious advice and help.

A quick history about me and my pain.
I'm 27, starting to have elbow pain but very bearable about 5 months ago. First thought after some research was tendonitis since I was learning to play guitar and I work as a graphic designer it made sense. Soon the weird sensation on my left elbow went to right elbow as well same spots. I've already stopped playing guitar and had to eventually take a month off work last month...
Doctors couldn't figure out what is wrong with me, physical examination didn't yield any results as I can't replicate the pain for them. What I mean is that the pain I feel only happens after I've used my arms or hands for a bit and it'd sort of shock me but very very painful and extremely pinpoint precise the pain feels sharper alot sharper than a needle. Also my grip strength has remained good and range of motion on both arms, hands wrist are all normal.
X Rays showed nothing, MRI also showed nothing wrong. Blood test confirmed my suspicion that there are no inflammation despite the doctors making me taking high dose of NSAIDs. Also taking Tylenol at small dose actually masked the pain much better than high does of NSAIDs.

Fast forward to now and my main question. Around the 4 months ago when pain wasn't that bad I bought a TENS unit to help relieve pain. It worked wonders, the setting I never went past level 3 (out of 10) however as the problem progresses I stopped using the TENS. Now 2 weeks ago, I tried again same spots same placement on both arms ( lateral side of elbow, and tricep 2 pads each arm) at setting 1.5 it creates an extremely sharp sharp pain like the same pain I felt if I overuse my arms or hands for typing using a mouse etc. But this is an extremely intensified version of the pain, like its beyond unbearable. I tried placing the pad anywhere outside of the area of pain and it works just fine like it did before so I know the machine isn't malfunctioning. I tried again the following week and same result, extremely sharp pain enough to make the creators of TENS to think twice about releasing it for public.

The worst part is I CANNOT find anything at all about this on the internet or through my doctor. And after countless of blood test, doctors examination and my own research browsing through every topic there are for Elbow pain, tendonitis, arthritis, lupus etc THE ONLY CLUE I have left is this. I really believe this experience with the TENS unit is telling me something, its evidence to something but how do I find out? Whom do I talk to?

I've got braces, elbow sleeves, theraflex band I do eccentric exercises, I got an infrared to help stimulate blood flow etc nothing has helped.

Another thing I should mention is that around the same exact week I noticed my elbow pain I started to have hives and raised bumps whenever my elbow would hurt and its been like this ever since. Its very bad as the rash/hives would have very painful tingling and burning and swelling. Thing is it only happens when my elbow hurts, I've seen an allergy doctor and Benadryl helps and takes a way the rash so only pain I have is the elbow. Tested for lupus and liver damage it all showed nothing.

Please if anyone can point out anything that would mean the world to me. For the past 5 months my life has been on hold and I'm slowly loosing it, I don't know how much more of this I can take. I literally can't do anything.

Thank you

Agree nerve study. Sounds like a naturopathy going on. HT

It was a work related accident that caused the initial injury. I was working at a cloth diaper laundry service. A full load of cloth diapers was 2,500. A half load was 1,200. We did a half rewash load with phosphoric acid, which tends to make the diapers stick to the wall of the front loading washer. As I reached in to pull the diapers off the wall, they tumbled down all at once, mashing my elbow onto the rim of the opening. I was taken to the emergency room...diagnosed with a 'bad bruise' to the area and put in a sling for 3 days. The bruise was horrendous, to be sure...but worse, I could not raise my arm! Apparently, I had not only injured my elbow but also tore the bicep tendon and rotator cuff.

I was put in physical therapy for about 6 weeks with no improvement and worked 'light duty'. There was no improvement so I was sent for MRI which revealed the damage to the tendon and cuff. Had arthroscopic surgery, more p.t. then p.t. with light duty at work. All this time, no one listened to my complaints of elbow pain continuing. It was 4 months before an EMG was ordered. At that point, it was determined that the nerve was subluxating (the structures that held it in place had been torn) and I was down to about 20% nerve function. I felt NOTHING on the EMG until they got to my neck!

The surgeon did a submuscular transposition of the ulnar nerve, burying it in the muscles of the forearm. I was casted for 6 weeks to allow the 8 inch long incision heal. Six weeks of P.T. followed to desensitize the scar and try to improve nerve function. It was during this time after the cast was removed that I had the horrible nerve zaps. I was prescribed Elavil (neurontin) for the nerve pain, although I don't think it helped much. After about 6 weeks, I returned to work light duty and continued P.T. for another 6 weeks at which point they determined I had reached 'maximum benefit'. The surgeon said my nerve had been shredded from subluxating and I was lucky to have any function at all.

This was all back in 1996. Fast forward to today. I still have numbness, burning and tingling along the nerve path and in pinky and ring finger. Those digits are 'weak' to begin with but I have what is considered 'good strength' in them. I have good motor function although when I went to dental assistant school, I could not perform instrument transfers as the 'gripping' is done with the pinky. That kind of detail is not possible for me.

The more I use my hand, the more pressure on the nerve inside the muscle, the more achiness I feel. Think about how achy one gets from the flu, multiply it by a thousand and localize it to just one area of the body. I cannot type long but I can do short bursts. I can lift and carry (with restrictions from my shoulders...a long story I won't go into). The consequences however, are very apparent. It's not further damage...but the nerve irritation.

Last night, I had some swelling. Getting old sucks. We've been having cold rain and that is the worst for me. My daughter started to massage the elbow for me...but I had to tell her 'palms only, no fingers' as it became painful, mostly from the elbow upwards, which is unusual.

For the most part, what tells me I'm lifting too much or pushing too much is scar tissue pulling, as it is not as elastic as regular tissue. That's really the only thing that holds me back regarding the elbow.

I was 36 at the time of the injury. I am 58 now. I am a D.I.Y.er. Have done plumbing on my mobile home, painted it inside and out (only needing help moving the ladder outside), have torn out built in cabinets in the bedrooms, have 2 pitbulls that I walk...I guess what I'm trying to say is, I haven't let any of my disabilities stop my life. Both shoulders have been operated on twice, the elbow once, left wrist once, right wrist 3 times so far.

I hope all of this helps you somehow. Keep us up to date on what your tests reveal please!