What causes elbow pain?
Where the pain sits usually tells the story. Pain on the outside of the elbow with gripping points to tennis elbow; pain on the inside to golfer's elbow; pain at the front with lifting to the distal biceps; and numbness in the ring and small fingers to the ulnar nerve.
Many elbow problems linger because the tendon is worn rather than inflamed, so rest alone does not fix them. A structured loading program, sometimes paired with an ultrasound-guided treatment, rebuilds the tendon's capacity.
When to see an orthopedic doctor for elbow pain
- Pain with gripping, lifting, or shaking hands that lasts more than a few weeks
- Pain that returns every time you go back to your sport or job
- Numbness or tingling in the ring and small fingers
- Weakness turning the palm up
- Elbow pain in a young throwing athlete
Get urgent care instead if you have
- A sudden pop at the front of the elbow with bruising and a bunched-up biceps
- A deformed or locked elbow after a fall
- A hot, swollen elbow with fever