Elbow pain can make simple things like shaking hands, lifting a cup or turning a doorknob surprisingly painful. Most elbow pain comes from overused tendons, but nerves, joints and injuries can also be involved. At Innovation Spine Medical, we identify what’s causing your elbow pain and talk you through non-surgical treatment options.
Pain on the outside or inside of the elbow
Pain when gripping, lifting or twisting your wrist
Weak grip
Stiffness or trouble fully bending or straightening the arm
Swelling at the back of the elbow
Numbness or tingling in the ring and little fingers
Overuse of the forearm tendons that attach to the outside of the elbow. Despite the name, it often comes from work tasks, typing or tools, not just tennis.
A similar tendon problem on the inside of the elbow.
Swelling of the bursa at the tip of the elbow, often from leaning on it or from a bump.
The ulnar nerve (“funny bone”) can become irritated, causing tingling in the hand. This is known as cubital tunnel syndrome.
Arthritis, sprains or previous fractures can cause elbow pain and stiffness.
Consider an evaluation if elbow pain lasts more than a few weeks, keeps returning with activity, weakens your grip or comes with numbness in your fingers. Chronic elbow pain, especially from tendon problems, often improves with a targeted plan.
Seek urgent care for a visible deformity, inability to move the elbow after an injury, or a red, hot and swollen elbow with fever.
Call our office if you notice redness, warmth or drainage at an injection site, a fever, pain or swelling that keeps getting worse, or new numbness or weakness.
Seek emergency care right away if you have trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat.
Your provider asks about your work and activities, examines the elbow and forearm, and performs tests that stress specific tendons and nerves. Imaging such as ultrasound, X-ray or MRI may be used when needed.
Your plan may include:
a regenerative option sometimes used for chronic tennis elbow.
Overuse of the forearm tendons, such as tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow, is the most common cause. Repetitive gripping and lifting are typical triggers.
It varies. Many people improve over several weeks to months with the right treatment, while some cases last longer.
Most elbow pain improves with non-surgical care such as therapy, activity changes and, in some cases, injections.
A combination of targeted exercise, activity changes and, for some people, regenerative injections. Your provider will tailor the plan.
Schedule an evaluation at our Rego Park office to find out what’s causing your elbow pain.
