Elbow Pain: Common Causes, Home Care and When to Be Seen

What it involves

MedlinePlus describes elbow pain as pain or other discomfort in the elbow that is not related to a direct injury. It says a common cause in adults is tendinitis, which is inflammation and injury to the tendons, the tissues that attach muscle to bone. People who play racquet sports are most likely to injure the tendons on the outside of the elbow, a condition commonly called tennis elbow, and golfers are more likely to injure the tendons on the inside. Gardening, baseball, using a screwdriver, and overusing the wrist and arm are other common causes.

Who this is for

• Adults with elbow pain that has not eased after a week or two of rest
• Patients whose pain comes with gripping, lifting, twisting, or typing
• Patients with a weak grip or pain that spreads into the forearm
• Patients who want to know whether the elbow needs imaging, a brace, or a specialist

What to expect

• Questions about when the pain began, where it sits, and which movements or jobs bring it on
• A close look at the elbow, wrist, and arm, including how far the joint bends and straightens
• A plain explanation of the likely cause and what you can change at work or in sports
• A plan that may include rest, medicine, or a referral for imaging, therapy, or a specialist

Common causes of elbow pain

Besides tendinitis, MedlinePlus lists these common causes of elbow pain:

• Bursitis, inflammation of a fluid-filled cushion beneath the skin
• Arthritis, with narrowing of the joint space and loss of cartilage in the elbow
• Elbow strains
• Infection of the elbow
• Tendon tears, such as a biceps rupture
• Nursemaid's elbow in young children, a partial dislocation from pulling on a straightened arm

Tennis elbow

MedlinePlus describes tennis elbow as soreness or pain on the outside of the upper arm near the elbow. Repeated use of the forearm muscles can cause small tears in the tendon where it attaches to the bone on the outside of the elbow, and the tendon cannot heal. Any activity that involves repetitive twisting of the wrist can cause it, and painters, plumbers, construction workers, cooks, and butchers are more likely to develop it. Symptoms include pain that gets worse over time, pain that spreads to the forearm and back of the hand when grasping or twisting, and a weak grip.

Golfer's elbow

MedlinePlus lists golfers as more likely to injure the tendons on the inside of the elbow, with the same overuse triggers as the outside. One question on its list for your provider is whether pain runs from the elbow down to the hand, and the numbness and tingling guide explains what is asked about those symptoms. Pain mostly at the wrist is covered in the carpal tunnel and wrist pain guide.

What to try at home

For tennis elbow, MedlinePlus says the first step is to rest the arm for 2 or 3 weeks and avoid or change the activity that causes the symptoms. It suggests ice on the outside of the elbow 2 or 3 times a day for 15 minutes, with a towel between the ice and your skin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen. If a computer is the cause, it suggests changing your workstation, and it says a counterforce brace from most drugstores can take pressure off the forearm muscles.

Signs you should be seen

MedlinePlus says to contact your provider if:

• Tendinitis is prolonged and does not improve with home care
• The pain is due to a direct elbow injury, or there is obvious deformity
• You cannot use or move the elbow, or the elbow is locked and cannot straighten or bend
• You have a fever, or swelling and redness of the elbow
• There is a lot of swelling and bruising around the elbow
• A child has elbow pain

What a visit involves

MedlinePlus says your provider will examine you, check the elbow carefully, and ask about your history: whether both elbows are affected, whether the pain began suddenly or slowly, whether it followed an injury, and what makes it better or worse. Treatment depends on the cause and can include physical therapy, antibiotics for an infection, corticosteroid shots, and pain medicine, with surgery as a last resort. An MRI may be done to confirm tennis elbow. The practice's role is the exam, the plan, and follow-up, with imaging and therapy arranged through a referral, and it offers joint injections at the Loxahatchee and West Palm Beach offices. The joint injections page explains that visit, and the shoulder pain guide covers the joint above.

Outlook

MedlinePlus says most elbow pain gets better without surgery, and most people who have surgery for tennis elbow have full use of the forearm and elbow afterward. For a sprain-type injury elsewhere, the ankle sprain guide describes how MedlinePlus grades sprains.

Sources

• MedlinePlus — Elbow pain
• MedlinePlus — Tennis elbow