Most elbow pain has a very simple cause and clears up within a few days. The pain usually comes from strained or inflamed soft tissues such as tendons. You can normally treat this pain yourself with over-the-counter painkillers and a few days' rest, and you may not need to see your doctor.
It's important not to rest for too long as lack of movement causes your joint to stiffen and the muscles around your elbow to weaken, which increases the chance that you’ll have further symptoms. Simple exercises can help to reduce the risk of future problems. Long-term elbow pain can be caused by arthritis.
Symptoms
Some of the symptoms of elbow pain include:
Dull ache when at rest
Pain when making a fist (golfer’s elbow)
Pain when opening the fingers (tennis elbow)
Soreness around the affected elbow bump
Weak grip
Difficulties and pain when trying to grasp objects, especially with the arm stretched out.
When To See A Doctor?
Most cases of elbow pain will get better on their own or with simple self-help treatments. You should see a doctor if:
Your pain doesn't improve after two weeks of taking painkillers and resting your elbow, and you haven't had an injury or infection
You have tingling, numbness or weakness in your arm or hand.
You should visit a hospital's accident and emergency department straight way if:
You notice symptoms such as severe pain that stops you from moving your arm, swelling, fever, heat and redness. These can sometimes be signs of infection.
You think you've fractured your elbow - this will probably follow an obvious injury such as a direct impact or fall onto an outstretched hand. A fracture will cause pain and usually bruising and swelling.
Common Conditions
Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is a painful condition that occurs when tendons in your elbow are overloaded, usually by repetitive motions of the wrist and arm.
Despite its name, athletes aren’t the only people who develop tennis elbow. People whose jobs feature the types of motions that can lead to tennis elbow include plumbers, painters, carpenters and butchers.
The pain of tennis elbow occurs primarily where the tendons of your forearm muscles attach to a bony bump on the outside of your elbow. Pain can also spread into your forearm and wrist.
Rest and over-the-counter pain relievers often help relieve tennis elbow. If conservative treatments don’t help or if symptoms are disabling, your doctor might suggest surgery.
Symptoms
The pain associated with tennis elbow may radiate from the outside of your elbow into your forearm and wrist. Pain and weakness may make it difficult to Shake hands or grip an object, Turn a doorknob or Hold a coffee cup. Most herniated disks occur in the lower back, although they can also occur in the neck. Signs and symptoms depend on where the disk is situated and whether the disk is pressing on a nerve. They usually affect one side of the body.
Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)
Golfer’s elbow is a condition that causes pain where the tendons of your forearm muscles attach to the bony bump on the inside of your elbow. The pain might spread into your forearm and wrist.
Golfer’s elbow is similar to tennis elbow, which occurs on the outside of the elbow. It’s not limited to golfers. Tennis players and others who repeatedly use their wrists or clench their fingers also can develop golfer’s elbow.
The pain of golfer’s elbow doesn’t have to keep you off the course or away from your favorite activities. Rest and appropriate treatment can get you back into the swing of things.
Symptoms
Golfer’s elbow is characterized by:
Pain and tenderness- Usually felt on the inner side of your elbow, the pain sometimes extends along the inner side of your forearm. Pain typically worsens with certain movements.
Stiffness- Your elbow may feel stiff, and making a fist might hurt.
Weakness- You may have weakness in your hands and wrists.
Numbness or tingling- These sensations might radiate into one or more fingers — usually the ring and little fingers.
Biceps Tendonitis (Distal)
This is degeneration of the tendon that attaches the biceps muscle of the upper arm to the radius bone of the forearm. This typically causes pain in the front of the elbow that may be made worse by lifting or twisting motions of the forearm below the elbow.
Symptoms
Pain or tenderness at the front of the elbow.
Pain that gets worse when bending the elbow or rotating the forearm.
Arm weakness.
A crackling sound or grating feeling when moving the elbow.
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
Cubital tunnel syndrome happens when the ulnar nerve, which passes through the cubital tunnel (a tunnel of muscle, ligament, and bone) on the inside of the elbow, is injured and becomes inflamed, swollen, and irritated.
Symptoms
The following are the most common symptoms of cubital tunnel syndrome. However, each person may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
Numbness and tingling in the hand and/or ring and little finger, especially when the elbow is bent
Hand pain
Weak grip and clumsiness due to muscle weakness in the affected arm and hand
Aching pain on the inside of the elbow
The symptoms of cubital tunnel syndrome may resemble other medical conditions or problems, including medial epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow). Always see a healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
Olecranon Bursitis
Elbow bursitis occurs in the olecranon bursae, a thin, fluid-filled sac that is located at the boney tip of the elbow (the olecranon).
There are many bursae located throughout the body that act as cushions between bones and soft tissues, such as skin. They contain a small amount of lubricating fluid that allows the soft tissues to move freely over the underlying bone.
Normally, the olecranon bursae is flat. If it becomes irritated or inflamed, more fluid will accumulate in the bursae and bursitis will develop.
Symptoms
Swelling- The first symptom of elbow bursitis is often swelling. The skin on the back of the elbow is loose, which means that a small amount of swelling may not be noticed right away.
Pain- As the swelling continues, the bursae begins to stretch, which causes pain. The pain often worsens with direct pressure on the elbow or with bending the elbow. The swelling may grow large enough to restrict elbow motion.
Redness and warmth to the touch- If the bursae is infected, the skin becomes red and warmth. If the infection is not treated right away, it may spread to other parts of the arm or move into the bloodstream. This can cause serious illness. Occasionally, an infected bursae will open spontaneously and drain pus.
Wrist pain is often caused by sprains or fractures from sudden injuries. But wrist pain can also result from long-term problems, such as repetitive stress, arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Because so many factors can lead to wrist pain, diagnosing the exact cause can be difficult, but an accurate diagnosis is essential for proper treatment and healing.
Symptoms
Wrist pain may vary, depending on the cause. For example, osteoarthritis pain is often described as being similar to a dull toothache, while carpal tunnel syndrome usually causes a pins-and-needles feeling or a tingling sensation, especially at night. The precise location of your wrist pain also provides clues to what's behind your symptoms.
When To See A Doctor?
Not all wrist pain requires medical care. Minor sprains and strains usually respond to ice, rest and over-the-counter pain medications. But if pain and swelling last longer than a few days or become worse, see your doctor. Delayed diagnosis and treatment can lead to poor healing, reduced range of motion and long-term disability.
Common Conditions
Osteoarthritis of the joints of the hand
Hand Osteoarthritis is inflammation that causes pain and stiffness in your joints. It usually happens in three places:
The base of your thumb, where it meets your wrist
One of the joints closest to your fingertips
The middle joint of a finger
Trigger Finger/Thumb
Trigger finger/thumb is a condition in which one of your fingers/thumb gets stuck in a bent position. Your finger/thumb may bend or straighten with a snap — like a trigger being pulled and released.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome develops when there’s increased pressure on the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel, a passageway in the palm side of your wrist.
De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis
It is a painful condition affecting the tendons on the thumb side of your wrist. If you have de Quervain’s tenosynovitis, it will probably hurt when you turn your wrist, grasp anything or make a fist.
Wrist joint Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis of the wrist is a degenerative condition affecting the joints between the small bones that make up the wrist joint. It is caused by general ‘wear and tear’ and is, therefore, more commonly seen in older individuals.
Ganglion cysts
These soft tissue cysts occur most often on the part of your wrist opposite your palm. Ganglion cysts may be painful, and pain may either worsen or improve with activity.
Kienbock’s Disease
This disorder typically affects young adults and involves the progressive collapse of one of the small bones in the wrist. Kienbock’s disease occurs when the blood supply to this bone is compromised.
