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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffIn many cases, your medical history and the physical exam provides enough information for your doctor to make a diagnosis of tennis elbow. But if your doctor suspects that something else may be causing your symptoms, he or she may suggest:
- X-rays. An X-ray can help your doctor rule out other possible causes of elbow pain, such as a fracture or arthritis.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Problems in your neck can sometimes cause symptoms similar to tennis elbow. MRI machines use radio waves and a strong magnetic field to produce detailed images of bones and soft tissues.
- Electromyography (EMG). This type of test can check to see if your symptoms are linked to a pinched nerve. During an EMG, fine wires are inserted into a muscle to assess electrical changes that occur when the muscle moves.
References
- Regan WD, et al. Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow). In: DeLee JC, et al. DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3143-7..00019-1--sc2&displayedEid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3143-7..00019-1--s0145&uniq=213936826&isbn=978-1-4160-3143-7&sid=1037052489. Accessed Aug. 10, 2010.
- Jayanthi N. Epicondylitis (tennis and golf elbow). http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 10, 2010.
- Miller RH, et al. Lateral epicondylitis. In: Canale ST, et al. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/214290188-3/1038084588/1584/342.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-03329-9..50047-7--cesec53_2420. Accessed Aug. 12, 2010.
- Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis). American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00068. Accessed Aug. 10, 2010.
- Neurological diagnostic tests and procedures. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/misc/diagnostic_tests.htm. Accessed Aug. 12, 2010.
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