Elbow Pain Specialist

What causes elbow pain?

Elbow pain occurs in the joint connecting your forearm to your upper arm. Elbow injuries leading to elbow pain often come from overuse. You may use your elbows often at work while playing, sports, and while enjoying your favorite hobbies. When you perform the same tasks repetitively, the movements can lead to injuries within the joint. Common causes of elbow pain are:

• Bursitis (joint inflammation)
• Joint dislocation
• Golfer’s elbow (tendon damage on the inside of your elbow)
• Tennis elbow (tendon damage on the outside of your elbow)
• Sprains (ligament tears)
• Stress fractures
• Pinched nerves

You can also experience elbow pain with various forms of arthritis, but your elbow is less likely to suffer damage from arthritis than certain other joints throughout your body. 

To find the source of your elbow pain, the team at Orthopedic Center for Sports Medicine performs a physical examination and asks you to describe the pain. They might ask you to complete specific movements using your elbow to test its mobility. For a view inside the joint, they may use X-ray imaging or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

When should I book an appointment for elbow pain?

Some elbow pain is mild and treatable at home. If your elbow pain sets in gradually and doesn’t appear to come from a severe, acute injury, you can try treating it at home first with ice, rest, and over-the-counter pain relievers. You should book an appointment for evaluation and treatment at Orthopedic Center for Sports Medicine if:

• The pain persists after home care
• You feel pain even when you’re not moving your elbow
• The area is increasingly swollen, red, and tender
• You struggle to move your elbow
• The elbow joint is bruised

You should visit the emergency room for immediate care if the joint looks deformed after an injury or if you can see or feel a protruding bone. You should also visit the emergency room if your injury involves an open wound with lots of bleeding. 

What are my treatment options for elbow pain?

After diagnosing your elbow injury, the team at Orthopedic Center for Sports Medicine devises a treatment plan appropriate for the type of injury you have. In most cases, they use several approaches in an ongoing strategy to help the injury heal, ease your pain, and restore your elbow’s mobility. Your treatment plan might include:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Corticosteroid injections
• Immobilization or bracing
• Physical therapy
• Arthroscopic surgery

Generally, the team starts treatment for elbow pain with the most conservative options and reserves surgery for severe cases that aren’t treatable without it. Treatments help to ease your pain and improve mobility so you can continue using your arm for work, sports, and hobbies. 

To discover the cause of your elbow pain and find an effective treatment for the injury, call Orthopedic Center for Sports Medicine or schedule a consultation online today.