Elbow Pain

What is elbow pain?

The elbow joint is where your upper arm bone (humerus) meets your lower arm bones (radius and ulna). The elbow joint contains soft tissues that are vulnerable to injury, including tendons, ligaments, and muscles.

Depending on your specific injury, elbow pain can appear with other symptoms, including:

• Redness and swelling
• Pain that radiates down the forearm
• Inability to fully bend or straighten your arm
• Difficulty grasping objects or lifting heavy things

Elbow pain can interfere with your ability to work or perform daily tasks like getting dressed in the morning. The friendly and knowledgeable team at Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine creates an individualized treatment to help you find relief from elbow pain.

What causes elbow pain?

Elbow pain can affect anybody, but it’s especially common among athletes who participate in sports like tennis and golf that require repetitive elbow movements. People with occupations that require repetitive arm movements like swinging a hammer are at increased risk of elbow pain.

The expert providers at Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine diagnose and treat many conditions that cause elbow pain, including:

• Forearm, humerus, and elbow fractures
• Biceps tendon tears at the elbow
• Tennis and golfer’s elbow
• Osteoarthritis of the elbow
• Elbow bursitis

Elbow pain can come on suddenly like after an acute injury, or it can develop gradually. Overuse injuries that result from repetitive stress tend to start out mild and worsen over time.

How is elbow pain diagnosed and treated?

First, your provider at Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine carefully reviews your symptoms and medical history and performs a physical exam. They check your elbow for signs of injury like tenderness and swelling. They also do imaging tests like an X-ray.

Then they discuss the best course of treatment for your particular condition. Depending on your needs, treatment of elbow pain can include:

• Immobilization in a brace or cast
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications
• Physical therapy

The team at Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine also offers regenerative medicine treatments like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell injections. These treatments use healing factors from your own body to promote tissue repair and regeneration.

If you suffer from elbow pain, call Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine or book an appointment online today.