Elbow Pain Diagnosis Chart: Quickly Find Your Pain

Experiencing elbow pain can be incredibly frustrating. You want quick answers to understand what is causing your discomfort. This guide helps you understand potential reasons for your elbow pain based on your specific symptoms and where the pain is located.

Many common issues, like repetitive strain injuries, arthritis, and trauma, frequently cause elbow pain. This elbow pain diagnosis chart provides a structured way to identify possible causes for your elbow pain diagnosis, guiding you on when to seek professional medical advice for your specific pain.

Key Takeaways

• Know your elbow pain location. Pain on the outside is often “tennis elbow.” Pain on the inside is often “golfer’s elbow.” Pain in the back can be bursitis or nerve issues.
• Common causes of elbow pain include tendinitis, arthritis, nerve problems, sprains, fractures, and bursitis. Each cause has specific symptoms and locations.
• Seek medical help for severe pain, numbness, tingling, or if you cannot straighten your arm. Also see a doctor if home care does not help or if pain lasts for weeks.
• Doctors use physical exams and imaging tests to find the cause of elbow pain. Treatment can include home care, physical therapy, medicines, or surgery.
• Understanding your elbow pain helps you talk to doctors. This guide helps you learn about your elbow pain.

Quickly Identify Your Elbow Pain

This section acts as your quick guide, helping you categorize your elbow pain symptoms. The location of your elbow pain offers a crucial clue about its possible causes.

You will learn to identify common patterns of discomfort, whether it is sharp, dull, tingling, or burning. This structured approach helps you better understand your body and communicate effectively with healthcare professionals.

Elbow Pain Symptoms by Location

Your elbow is a complex joint. Different structures in the elbow can cause pain. Pinpointing the exact location of your discomfort helps narrow down the potential elbow pain causes.

You can experience pain on the outside, inside, back, or front of your elbow, or sometimes a more general, deep elbow joint pain. Each area points to different common conditions.

Outside Elbow Pain

When you feel pain on the outside of your elbow, you might have a condition often called “tennis elbow.” The medical term for tennis elbow is lateral epicondylitis. This condition involves inflammation on the lateral, or outside, side of the elbow. It is primarily a repetitive strain injury.

Overuse of the tendons connecting your forearm muscles to your elbow causes this. Repeated motions, like twisting or swinging your lower arm, often lead to it.

Tennis elbow specifically causes pain on the outside of the elbow. This distinguishes it from golfer’s elbow, which affects the inside.

The tendons connecting your forearm muscles to the outside of your elbow become inflamed. Your forearm muscles and their tendons get damaged from overuse. This happens when you repeatedly perform the same motions. This leads to pain and tenderness on the outer elbow. The Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis (ECRB) tendon is typically involved.

You might notice these specific elbow pain symptoms:

• Pain and tenderness in the bony bump on the outside of your elbow (lateral epicondyle).
• Pain that may extend along your forearm and wrist.
• Weakness in your hand when you grip or lift objects.
• Pain when you make a fist or straighten your wrist.

Inside Elbow Pain

If your pain is on the inside of your elbow, you might experience discomfort when gripping or making a fist. This type of pain often suggests issues with the tendons or muscles on the inner side of your forearm.

Activities involving repetitive wrist flexion or pronation (turning your palm down) can trigger this pain. You might feel a dull ache or a sharp pain with certain movements.

Back Elbow Pain

Pain at the back of your elbow can stem from several different issues. Sometimes, the pain you feel in your elbow actually comes from your neck or shoulder. For example, a herniated cervical disc in your neck can pinch or irritate nerves. This causes referred pain in your elbow. An injured trapezius muscle can also irritate a nerve running down your arm, leading to discomfort in your elbow.

Another common cause is an entrapped ulnar nerve. When this nerve is pinched, it can cause pain that radiates from your shoulder to your hand, including your elbow. You might also feel numbness or tingling.

Arthritis, both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, can affect your elbow joint. This causes pain, stiffness, and sometimes a grinding sensation. These symptoms often develop gradually.

Olecranon bursitis is another frequent cause of back elbow pain. This condition involves inflammation of the bursa, a fluid-filled sac, located at the tip of your elbow. You might notice these symptoms:

• Swelling around your elbow.
• A noticeable lump on the outside of your elbow.
• Redness or inflammation on the outside of your elbow.
• The skin over the bursa feels warm to the touch.
• Elbow pain, especially when you bend your elbow or lean on it.
• Tenderness in and around the elbow area.
• Pus, a yellow or white fluid, draining from an infected bursa.

Front Elbow Pain

Pain at the front of your elbow often relates to the biceps muscle or its tendon. This area, known as the antecubital fossa, is where the biceps tendon attaches. When you have biceps tendinitis at the elbow, you might experience specific symptoms.

You may feel:

• Stiffness and soreness on the inside of your elbow, near the end of the biceps muscle.
• Pain that is dull most of the time. It gets sharper when you lift, bend, straighten your elbow, or twist the lower part of your arm.
• Pain or discomfort at the front of your elbow.
• Increased pain with elbow flexion (bending) and supination (turning your palm up).
• Tenderness along the tendon towards its insertion on the radial tuberosity.
• Pain and/or weakness when you supinate your forearm (turn your palm up) against resistance.

Deep or General Elbow Pain

Sometimes, your elbow pain feels deep inside the joint or spreads across the entire elbow area. This type of general elbow pain can indicate a variety of conditions affecting the bones, cartilage, or ligaments.

For example, bursitis, an inflammation of the protective bursa around joints, can cause pain and swelling. This often happens due to overuse, trauma, or infection. Cubital tunnel syndrome results from damage to the ulnar nerve. This leads to numbness, tingling, and pain. Osteochondritis dissecans involves the degradation of bone beneath joint cartilage. This causes pain, swelling, joint locking, and weakness.

Other causes include injuries to the biceps and triceps from forceful extension or heavy loads. Dislocations and fractures from impact injuries also lead to pain, swelling, and reduced motion. Ligament injuries, such as those to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), radial collateral ligament, and annular ligament, can result from trauma or dislocations. Elbow stress fractures are another source of pain.

Elbow osteoarthritis can also cause deep or general elbow pain. You might experience:

• Pain, initially related to activity, then worsening with rest.
• Stiffness, also worsening with rest.
• Loss of range of motion.
• A grating or locking sensation in your elbow due to cartilage damage or loose fragments.
• Joint swelling, which occurs as the disease progresses.
• A squeaking noise and creaking sensation when you move your joints.
• Difficulty completely straightening your arms, and later, difficulty bending them.
• Arm weakness and decreased function.
• Numbness in your ring and small finger in later stages, caused by pressure on the ulnar nerve.

This elbow pain diagnosis chart helps you understand the potential reasons for your discomfort.

Common Elbow Pain Causes

You now understand where your elbow pain might come from. This section details the most frequent reasons for elbow pain. You will see how these causes link to the specific locations of discomfort you learned about earlier. Understanding these common causes of elbow pain helps you identify what might be happening in your body.

Tendinitis

Tendinitis means a tendon has inflammation or irritation. Tendons are tough cords that connect your muscles to your bones. When these tendons around your elbow become inflamed, you feel pain. This often happens from overuse or repetitive motions.

Several types of tendinitis affect your elbow. You might experience:

• Lateral elbow tendinopathies (tennis elbow)
• Medial elbow tendinopathies (golfer’s elbow)
• Distal biceps tendinopathies
• Triceps tendinopathies

Lateral epicondylitis, known as tennis elbow, is a very common form of tendinitis. It causes pain on the outside of your elbow. This happens when the tendon connecting your forearm muscles to your elbow bone gets inflamed. People who play racquet sports often experience this. Medial epicondylitis, or golfer’s elbow, causes pain on the inside of your elbow. This affects the tendons on the inner side.

Repetitive strain injuries are a common cause of tendinitis. These injuries happen when you repeat the same movements over and over. They often require a longer time to heal. Certain activities and jobs increase your risk for elbow tendinitis:

• General Risk: Manual laborers are more likely to get elbow tendinopathy.
• Tennis Elbow (Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy):
  • You handle loads heavier than 20 kg at least 10 times daily.
  • You use tools heavier than 1 kg.
  • You make repetitive hand or arm movements for more than 2 hours daily.
  • Swimming can also contribute.
• Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Elbow Tendinopathy):
  • You handle loads heavier than 5 kg two times per minute for at least 2 hours daily.
  • You handle loads heavier than 20 kg at least 10 times daily.
  • You use high hand grip forces for more than 1 hour daily.
  • You perform repetitive movements for more than 2 hours daily.
  • You use vibrating tools for more than 2 hours daily.

Combinations of force and repetition, or force and posture, strongly link to elbow tendinopathy. This type of elbow pain can be persistent.

Arthritis

Arthritis causes inflammation in your joints. This can lead to elbow joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. Several types of arthritis can affect your elbow.

1. Osteoarthritis (OA): This is the most common type. It often occurs in your elbow after a past injury. Cartilage, the smooth tissue cushioning your bones, gradually breaks down. Your bones then rub together, causing pain and stiffness. Overuse or injury often leads to OA.
2. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): This is an autoimmune disease. Your immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of your elbow joint (synovium). This causes inflammation, swelling, and eventually cartilage breakdown.
3. Post-traumatic Arthritis: This develops after an elbow injury, like a fracture or sprain. It can appear years later.
4. Psoriatic Arthritis: Some people with psoriasis, a skin condition, also develop this type of arthritis. It causes inflammation and pain, including in your elbow.
5. Juvenile Arthritis (JA): This group of diseases affects children and teens. It causes pain and swelling in various joints, including your elbows.
6. Lupus: This chronic autoimmune disease attacks healthy tissues, including joints. Your elbow joints can be affected.

The average age for primary elbow osteoarthritis to first appear is 50 years. However, symptoms can start as early as your twenties. The risk of developing elbow OA increases significantly with age.

Nerve Issues

Nerves carry signals between your brain and body. When a nerve around your elbow gets compressed or irritated, you can feel pain, numbness, or tingling. This is a common cause of elbow pain.

Several nerves are often involved in elbow issues:

• Ulnar nerve: This is the most commonly involved nerve in your elbow region.
• Radial nerve: This nerve can get compressed around your elbow.
• Posterior interosseous nerves (PIN): These are also susceptible to compression around your elbow.
• Median nerve: This nerve is at risk of entrapment.
• Anterior interosseous nerve: This nerve is also at risk of entrapment.

Cubital tunnel syndrome is a common condition. It happens when your ulnar nerve gets compressed or stretched as it passes through the cubital tunnel on the inside of your elbow. You might experience:

• Pain over the ulnar nerve on the inside of your elbow.
• Pain that spreads into your forearm, hand, and your ring and pinky fingers.
• Numbness or tingling in the same areas.
• Weakness in some small hand muscles, making fine motor activities difficult.
• Symptoms often worsen when you bend your elbow or put direct pressure on the cubital tunnel.
• You might feel a sharp or stabbing pain at your elbow, a dull ache in your forearm, or a burning or electric shock sensation.

Sprains and Fractures

An elbow injury can involve sprains or fractures. These are different types of damage to your elbow.

An elbow sprain is an injury to your ligaments. Ligaments are strong bands of tissue that connect bones. In your elbow, ligaments connect the bones of your upper and lower arm. A sprain happens when you overstretch or tear one or more of these ligaments. This often results from a traumatic injury or overuse. Most simple elbow sprains usually recover in about 4 to 6 weeks. Severe tears can take several months.

An elbow fracture means you have a broken bone. This usually happens from a direct impact or fall. Common types of elbow fractures include:

• Supracondylar Fracture: This is a break in your humerus bone just above your elbow. It is the most common type of elbow fracture. It can sometimes lead to nerve injuries or poor circulation.
• Olecranon Fractures: These breaks occur at the bony tip of your ulna bone. They are among the most common elbow fractures.
• Radial Head and Neck Fractures: These involve breaks in the head portion of your radius bone.
• Medial Epicondylar Fracture: This break is typically on the inside of your elbow, above the bony bumps. Adolescents and young teens often experience this.
• Condylar Fracture: This occurs in the bony protrusions of your elbow. It needs careful treatment because it can affect joint health and growth plates.
• Distal Humerus Fractures: These are common in children and older adults. They can sometimes injure nerves and arteries in your elbow.

If you have an elbow fracture, you usually wear a cast or splint for 3 to 6 weeks. Many people can return to normal activities in about 4 months. Complete healing can take a year or even longer.

Bursitis

Bursitis is the inflammation of a bursa. A bursa is a small, fluid-filled sac that cushions your joints. It helps reduce friction between bones, tendons, and muscles. When the bursa at the tip of your elbow (olecranon bursa) becomes inflamed, you get elbow bursitis. This causes pain and swelling.

Several factors can cause elbow bursitis:

• Trauma: A direct blow or fall onto your elbow can cause bleeding or fluid buildup in the bursa. This is common in sports like football or basketball.
• Prolonged Pressure: Resting your elbow on a hard surface for long periods can cause bursitis. This is sometimes called ‘student’s elbow’ if you lean on your elbow while studying. Occupations like plumbing or mechanics, which involve frequent elbow pressure, also increase your risk.
• Infection: If your skin breaks or gets punctured near the bursa, bacteria can enter. This leads to infection, causing swelling, fluid, and redness.
• Medical Conditions: Certain conditions like gout and rheumatoid arthritis can also make you more prone to bursitis.

This elbow pain can be quite uncomfortable.

When to Seek Medical Help

You need to know when your elbow pain requires professional medical attention. Some symptoms are red flags. You should not ignore these signs. Understanding these situations helps you get the right care quickly.

Urgent Symptoms

Certain symptoms mean you need to see a doctor right away for your elbow. Pay close attention to these signs:

• You feel pain in your arm during exercise, but it stops with rest.
• Your arm is swollen, and you have a very high temperature or feel hot and shivery.
• You have severe arm pain that makes movement difficult.
• You heard a snapping noise during an arm injury, or your arm has changed shape.
• You experience tingling or numbness in your arm.
• You have sudden arm pain along with pressure, heaviness, or squeezing across your chest. This could mean a heart attack.
• You had a sudden injury from a fall or lifting a heavy object.
• Your pain prevents you from straightening your arm.
• Your pain interferes with your sleep or daily activities.
• Your olecranon bursitis (the fluid-filled sac at your elbow tip) looks infected or starts to drain fluid.
• You suspect an elbow dislocation. These usually need emergency room help.
• You think you have a distal biceps tear, often from lifting heavy objects. This usually needs surgery.

Persistent Pain

Sometimes, elbow pain does not go away quickly. If your elbow pain continues for several weeks, you need a professional medical assessment. This is true even after you try rest and other non-surgical treatments. Ignoring persistent pain can make underlying problems worse. For example, if you have olecranon bursitis, and it does not get better after three months of initial treatments, you might need surgery to remove the bursa.

Failed Home Care

You might try home remedies for your elbow discomfort. These include rest, ice, and over-the-counter medications. However, if your elbow pain does not improve with these methods, it is time to see a doctor.

This is especially true if your elbow symptoms worsen or new symptoms appear. Do not delay seeking help if your elbow feels worse despite your efforts. Your elbow health is important.

Elbow Pain Diagnosis and Treatment

When you experience elbow pain, getting an accurate diagnosis is the first step toward effective treatment. Medical professionals use various methods to understand your specific elbow pain.

Medical Diagnosis Methods

Doctors start with a physical exam and ask about your medical history. They want to know when your pain began and what makes it worse. Imaging tests help confirm a diagnosis. Ultrasound is very effective for many elbow conditions. It can show tendon thickening, tears, and inflammation in conditions like lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow).

Ultrasound also helps identify radial collateral ligament injuries, radial tunnel syndrome, olecranon bursitis, and synovitis. For more complex issues, like UCL pathology in throwers, osteochondral lesions, or loose bodies, your doctor might recommend an MRI. These tools help pinpoint the exact cause of your elbow pain.

Home Care Options

For mild elbow pain, you can often start with home care. Rest is important. You should avoid activities that worsen your pain. Gentle stretches help improve flexibility; hold each stretch for 30-60 seconds.

Supportive devices like braces or straps can reduce strain on injured tendons. You can also make ergonomic changes. Adjust your workspace or use better-grip tools to lessen stress on your elbow. Simple changes, like lifting with both hands, can also help. Heat application can soothe muscles, and bracing provides support. These steps are crucial for elbow pain prevention.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is a key part of many elbow pain treatment plans. A therapist guides you through specific exercises to strengthen your muscles and improve flexibility.

For tennis elbow, you might do wrist extension and flexion exercises with a light dumbbell. Towel twists, fist clenches, and ball squeezes also help. Finger stretches and wrist turns are other common exercises. These movements help restore function and provide pain relief.

Medical Treatments

If home care and physical therapy are not enough, your doctor might suggest other medical treatments. Non-surgical options are often very effective for chronic elbow pain. These include activity modification, immobilization with braces, and pain management with medications like NSAIDs. Cold and heat therapy can also help.

Corticosteroid injections offer short-term relief for severe inflammation. Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy uses your body’s own platelets to stimulate healing. PRP treatment for the elbow significantly improves both pain and function.

Surgical Solutions

Sometimes, surgery becomes necessary. Doctors consider surgery when non-operative treatments fail. This happens with persistent elbow stiffness, severe lateral epicondylitis, or when loose bodies cause locking.

Elbow fractures, dislocations, or cubital tunnel syndrome might also require surgery. Elbow arthroscopy is a very successful procedure. It often provides clear benefits.

Arthroscopic surgery for lateral epicondylitis shows the highest success rates. This treatment helps you return to daily activities.

Remember, understanding your body is important. Do not self-diagnose serious elbow conditions. This elbow pain diagnosis chart helps you communicate better about your elbow with healthcare professionals. Use this information as a guide for your elbow.

Consult a doctor for an accurate elbow pain diagnosis. They will create a personalized treatment plan for your elbow. You can find relief and manage your elbow pain effectively. Hope for recovery from your elbow pain is always there for your elbow.