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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffMost elbow pain results from overuse injuries; many sports, hobbies and jobs require repetitive hand, wrist or arm movements. Elbow pain may occasionally be due to arthritis, but in general, your elbow joint is much less prone to wear-and-tear damage than are many other joints.
Common causes of elbow pain include:
- Cubital tunnel syndrome, which occurs when the ulnar nerve on the inside of your elbow is irritated or injured
- Dislocation
- Elbow fracture
- Golfer's elbow
- Ligament sprains and tears
- Little league elbow syndrome (pitcher's elbow) — an injury mainly affecting children and rapidly growing adolescents involved in throwing sports such as baseball
- Olecranon bursitis — inflammation of a small sac of fluid (olecranon bursa) on the tip of your elbow
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteochondritis dissecans
- Radial tunnel syndrome, which occurs when the radial nerve becomes compressed just beyond your elbow (sometimes called resistant tennis elbow)
- Sprains and strains
- Tendinitis
- Tennis elbow
Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.
- Anderson BC, et al. Evaluation of elbow pain in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis). American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00068. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- Ferri FF. Elbow pain. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/linkTo?type=bookPage&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00040-8--s0125. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- Srinivasan RC, et al. Orthopedic surgery. In: Doherty GM. Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Surgery. 13th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=5314956. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- Deune EG, et al. The patient with hand, wrist, or elbow pain. In: Imboden JB, et al. Current Rheumatology Diagnosis & Treatment. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=2729561. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- Sprains and strains. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Sprains_Strains/default.asp. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- van den Ende KIM, et al. Radial tunnel syndrome. Journal of Hand Surgery. 2010;35:1004.
- Fleisig GS, et al. Prevention of elbow injuries in youth baseball pitchers. Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2009;8:250.
- Sellards R, et al. The elbow: Diagnosis and treatment of common injuries. Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice. 2005;32:1.
- ACR appropriateness criteria chronic elbow pain. Reston, Va.: American College of Radiology. http://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?doc_id=13663. Accessed July 21, 2010.
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