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weird symptom around elbows, fibro or arthritis?

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Fibromyalgia
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Posted 12/29/2015 3:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hello, hope all is well with everyone. I don't post too often, but I wanted to ask about my elbows lol. I will try to explain where it is the best I can. If you hold your arm out in front of you, palms up, and then flip your palms down...that area on top of your arm, right before the crease line, where the muscle connects at the end of the arm bone. lol I hope you understand, but it's the very top muscle at the joint in other words. Anyway, when my fibro acts up, this muscle or tendon swells and becomes sore. Right now it feels swollen and kinda tight. It almost feels like you lifted weights and that muscle was full of blood. Is this normal for these muscles to swell? I thought fibro did not cause swelling. They are only painful if I put pressure on them.
It looks weird, I can tell they are swollen. I can't understand why it only swells right there. My joint does not hurt, I can bend without pain.
Anyone have swelling too?
Posted 12/29/2015 4:04 PM (GMT 0)
HI Klambert,

I have osteoarthritis which doesn't have swelling. Here's a link to a Mayo Clinic article about rheumatory arthritis:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/basics/symptoms/con-20014868

I read an article the other day that talked about helping rheumatory arthritis by staying away from gluten, dairy, and sugar products.

Good luck to you.
Posted 12/30/2015 2:50 AM (GMT 0)
I have osteoarthritis in my spine. I found something called tennis elbow. The actual tendon swells we irritated. It may be this. Who knows lol. Thanks
Posted 12/31/2015 12:34 AM (GMT 0)
It sounds like your joint is inflamed. If I was you I would talk to my rheumatologist about it. Mine gets like that and I get frequent tennis elbow attacks due to my psoriactic arthritis.
Posted 1/18/2016 4:32 AM (GMT 0)
Fibro can cause inflammation during a flare-up and straing places can swell up. Also keep in mind that they are finding new things out about fibro with more research and I read them and say to myself "that's why that is like that".
Posted 1/18/2016 5:55 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Klambert1, it sounds like you have lateral epicondylitis aka tennis elbow, which, according to the Arthritis Foundation (http://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/fibromyalgia/symptoms.php), can happen with fibromyalgia flareups. Does it hurt when you turn a doorknob or grip something? Usual treatment for tennis elbow can include passive stretching, gradually more aggressive exercises to build up those muscles and tendons, and ice. But since you have fibromyalgia, I would suggest just doing very gentle passive wrist extensor stretches to prevent any further aggravation.

Wrist extensor stretch:
Hold one arm straight out in front. Use the other hand to bend the wrist and point the fingers towards the floor, applying gentle pressure. Hold for between 10 and 30 seconds. Do this a few times a day.

And if you happen to not mind ice, you can try icing that area too.

In the meantime, I would talk to your doctor about seeing a physical or occupational therapist who can help you fine-tune your daily activities and give you an exercise program that keeps you healthy and the flareups at bay.
Posted 1/21/2016 1:48 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, it does hurt when I try to open jars using thatuscle to do anything. Thanks! I will check that site out.
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