5 Possible Reasons Why Your Elbow Hurts

Elbow Hurts

Elbow pain is not uncommon, and although many people take it to be a minor issue, it can significantly interrupt one’s daily life. Therefore, it is not good to wait for the condition to go away on its own. Besides, it can be a sign of some severe underlying health complications requiring advanced treatments. Therefore, understanding the cause of your elbow pain is critical to determining how to manage the condition. You can reach out to the elbow pain specialists at Mid Atlantic Orthopedic Associates to get an expert diagnosis for elbow pain in East Brunswick. Here are some of the common causes of elbow pain.

Elbow Strains and Sprains

These are some of the most well-known causes of elbow pain and involve the abnormal stretching or tear of the elbow ligament, tendon, or muscle. Sprains and strains are mainly caused by traumatic injuries such as falls and accidents and overuse and are common to athletes involved in throwing, playing contact sports, or using a racquet. You may experience bruising, pain, swelling, and complications while stretching or bending your arm if you are enduring a strain or a sprain.

Bursitis

Another leading cause of elbow pain is the inflammation or irritation of the olecranon bursa at your elbow’s bony tip, filling extra fluid to swell. This can cause pain and redness alongside the swelling when bending the elbow or when direct pressure is exerted to the elbow. The leading cause of this condition is a sudden trauma involving hitting the elbow on a hard surface. This is common in patients involved in hockey, basketball, and football sports.

Nerve Complications

Your arm consists of three major nerves, namely the ulna, median, and radial. Compression of any of these nerves can cause complications such as elbow pain, although the exact cause of the compression is not clearly known. However, certain activities such as leaning on your elbow for a long time, long-distance driving, or sporting activities involving repetitive throwing put you at risk of nerve compression. Also, past cases of elbow injuries like fractures and dislocations increase your chances.

It is vital to seek medical attention soon with an elbow injury to diagnose or clear nerve compression as it can result in permanent damage if left untreated.

Dislocation

A dislocated elbow is common in which one of the elbow bones is separated or knocked out of its usual place. This is mainly contributed by preventing a fall by supporting yourself with an outstretched hand or bracing yourself in a car accident. If you are a player, you are at a heightened risk of experiencing elbow dislocations. In most cases, a dislocated elbow is very painful, requiring urgent medical attention, and it causes a noticeable deformity, leading to irreversible damage if left untreated.

Tendonitis

This condition is when the tendon connecting your elbow bone and muscle is inflamed mainly due to sudden injury or repetitive motion. Common symptoms of this condition include wrist or hand weakness and stiffness or pain in your elbow. Any repetitive activity such as some athletic activities, carpentry, painting, and plumbing can contribute to tendonitis.

Understanding why our elbow hurts is vital to determining the best treatment option for you. Whether you can recall a fall or an accident, or you can’t tell, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Mid Atlantic Orthopedic Associates, LLP, to receive an expert diagnosis.