Elbow Pain Specialist

What might cause elbow pain?

You know if you ever knock the pointy end of your elbow that it can be excruciating, mainly because the joint has so little protection. But you can also suffer from painful injuries to the bones and soft tissues inside your elbow joint.

Common causes of elbow pain seen most often at Rogozinski Orthopedic Clinic include:

• Arthritis
• Elbow (olecranon) bursitis
• Fractures
• Tendon strains
• Ligament sprains
• Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) 
• Golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis)
• Trapped nerves 
• Dislocation
• Cubital tunnel syndrome
• Elbow instability

Injuries to the elbow might occur as a result of a fall or an auto accident or when playing sports. They typically cause acute pain that wears off as the tissues repair themselves. Chronic elbow pain could be due to an overuse injury like tennis and golfer's elbow or a joint disease like arthritis.

How is elbow pain diagnosed?

To diagnose the cause of your elbow pain, your provider examines the joint and asks you to move in certain ways to assess the pain and limits to your range of motion. 

After considering your symptoms and reviewing your medical history, they might order diagnostic tests, which could include:

• X-rays
• An MRI
• CT scan
• Nerve function studies

When they see the diagnostic information, your provider recommends the most appropriate therapy for your elbow pain. If it's not clear what's causing the problem or they need to examine the joint in greater detail, they might perform a minimally invasive arthroscopy procedure.

An arthroscope is an instrument with a miniature camera on it that fits into a very small incision in your elbow. The camera sends images of the inner parts of your joint to a screen so your surgeon can assess your elbow condition. They might be able to treat certain injuries at the same time.

What treatment might I need for elbow pain?

Unless you have a fracture or other serious injury that requires surgery, your elbow pain treatment is likely to involve conservative options such as:

• Activity modification
• Splinting
• Bracing
• Physical therapy
• Steroid injections
• Medication to relieve pain and reduce inflammation 

These treatments typically have high success rates, but surgery might be necessary if your condition fails to respond and you continue to have severe elbow pain.

What surgery might I need for elbow pain?

For many procedures, Rogozinski Orthopedic Clinic can use arthroscopic techniques to relieve elbow pain, for example, removing loose bone or cartilage fragments, releasing scar tissue, and treating tendinitis.

If the damage to your elbow is so severe there's no way to repair it, you might need to have joint replacement surgery.

To find the solution to your elbow pain, call Rogozinski Orthopedic Clinic today or book an appointment online.