Elbow Pain

Arms | Orthopaedics | Elbow Pain (Symptom)


Description

Overuse of the elbow joint causes small tears to form in the soft tissue, particularly where the tendon anchors to bone. These injuries can occur as a result of a variety of sports and occupations. The most common type of elbow pain is known as tennis elbow. Golfers elbow is a less common but it is a similar injury.

Causes

If a number of these tears occur over a period of time, they can cause pain and reduced movement of the elbow joint. Depending on the location and severity of the injury, full recovery can take months.

Some of the symptoms of elbow pain include: (1) Pain in the elbow joint, especially when straightening the arm; (2) Dull ache when at rest; (3) Pain when making a fist (medial epicondylitis); (4) Pain when opening the fingers (lateral epicondylitis); (5) Soreness around the affected elbow bump; (6) Weak grip; (7) Difficulties and pain when trying to grasp objects, especially with the arm stretched out.

The symptoms associated with tennis elbow are, but are not limited to: radiating pain from the outside of the elbow to the forearm and wrist, pain during extension of wrist, weakness of the forearm, a painful grip while shaking hands or torquing a doorknob, and not being able to hold relatively heavy items in the hand. The pain is similar to the pain of the condition known as Golfers elbow but the latter occurs at the medial side of the elbow.

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