Elbow Pain Specialist

What is elbow pain?

Elbow pain refers to any type of discomfort that affects your elbow joint. Your elbow is a complex joint made up of bones, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and muscle that all work together so you can extend, flex, and rotate your forearm and hand. 

An injury or disease that affects one or more of the components that make up your elbow joint may cause pain. However, because the joint works together when moving your forearm and hand, it can be hard to pinpoint the location and cause of your pain based on symptoms alone. 

What causes elbow pain?

There are many injuries and conditions that lead to elbow pain. However, overuse injuries are the most common cause of this type of joint pain.

Sports like tennis and hobbies like gardening require repetitive movements of the arm or elbow. These movements may overwork the tendons or bursa (fluid-filled sacs) in the joint, leading to inflammation of these tissues (tendonitis or bursitis). 

Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow are types of tendonitis.

Other causes of elbow pain include:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Fractures
• Dislocation
• Nerve irritation
• Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)
• Medial epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow)
• Bicep strain
• Strains and sprains
• Ulnar nerve transposition

You may also develop elbow pain from osteoarthritis, also known as wear-and-tear arthritis. However, this type of arthritis is less common in the elbow joint. 

How is elbow pain diagnosed?

The providers at Orthopaedic Associates, Inc, will conduct thorough examinations when you come in with complaints of elbow pain to determine the underlying cause.

Your provider asks detailed questions about your symptoms, including when they started, underlying causes (if known), and the type of pain you feel. They also ask about your usual activities to confirm or rule out an overuse injury.

They examine your elbow and may request diagnostic services to confirm or rule out a diagnosis. These services may include digital X-rays, orthopaedic ultrasonography, or an MRI.

How is elbow pain treated?

Orthopaedic Associates, Inc, takes a patient-centered approach to care. Treatment for your elbow pain depends on the underlying cause and may include:

• Activity modification
• Use of a brace or splint
• Physical therapy
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Casting for a fracture
• Joint injections

Though Orthopaedic Associates, Inc, takes a conservative approach to care, the board-certified physicians perform surgery when necessary. 

For example, you may need surgery if you have an elbow fracture. These types of injuries are common and often require surgery to realign the bones for proper healing. 

To get relief from your elbow pain and regain use of your arm, call Orthopaedic Associates, Inc, or schedule an appointment online today.