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Elbow pain
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/elbow-pain/MY00115
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Definition
Your elbow is a complex joint that allows you to perform pushing and pulling movements and to rotate your forearm. Elbow pain can be caused by injury or strain to the bones in your elbow joint, the surrounding muscles or the tendons, which attach the muscles to the bones. Elbow pain may also be due to damage arising from the elbow joint's network of nerves, blood vessels and ligaments. On occasion, problems in your neck, shoulder and upper arm, or your forearm and wrist can result in elbow pain.
Elbow pain usually isn't serious, but because you use your elbow in so many ways, elbow pain can definitely affect your life.
Causes
Most 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
When to see a doctor
Self-care
Most elbow pain improves with simple home treatments:
- Rest. Give your elbow complete rest for two days, and avoid the activity that caused the injury for at least three weeks. If you have a fracture, you may need an air splint to help keep your elbow immobilized.
- Ice. Place an ice pack or bag of frozen peas on the sore area for 15 to 20 minutes three times a day.
- Compression. Use a compression bandage to reduce swelling.
- Elevation. Keep your arm elevated to help reduce swelling.
If your elbow pain results from an injury, your doctor may recommend physical or occupational therapy to aid healing and help prevent future problems.
Schedule an office visit if you have:
- Elbow pain that doesn't improve after several days of home care
- Pain that occurs even when you're not using your arm
- Increasing redness, swelling or pain in the injured area
Call your doctor right away if you have:
- Severe pain, swelling and bruising around the joint
- Trouble moving your elbow normally, using your arm or turning your arm from palm up to palm down and vice versa
Seek emergency care if you have:
- An obvious deformity in your elbow
- A protruding bone
You may need an X-ray or other imaging test if you have a dislocated or broken bone or your doctor suspects nerve damage.
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- 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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