Joint Pain
Why Does My Elbow Hurt?
Why Does My Elbow Hurt?
You don’t realize how often you use your elbow until it starts hurting.
Lifting a coffee cup, carrying groceries, working at a computer, playing golf or tennis, exercising, or simply gripping something can suddenly become uncomfortable.
Sometimes elbow pain has an obvious cause. Other times, it seems to appear gradually without a specific injury you can point to.
If your elbow keeps hurting or the pain is beginning to interfere with everyday activities, understanding what may be contributing is a good place to start.
What Does Elbow Pain Feel Like?
Elbow pain can feel different depending on which structures are involved and what’s causing the irritation.
You may notice:
- Pain on the inside or outside of the elbow
- Tenderness when touching the area
- Pain when gripping or lifting something
- Discomfort when bending or straightening your arm
- A dull ache that continues after activity
- Weakness in your hand, wrist, or forearm
- Stiffness or decreased range of motion
- Swelling around the elbow
- Pain that extends into the forearm
What Could Be Causing My Elbow Pain?
Your elbow is involved in movements of your arm, wrist, and hand, which means everyday activities can place repeated stress on the area.
There are several possible reasons an elbow may begin hurting.
Repetitive Movement and Overuse
Repeated gripping, lifting, twisting, or wrist and arm movements can irritate the tissues around the elbow over time.
This isn’t limited to athletes. Work, hobbies, home improvement projects, gardening, exercise, and other repetitive activities can all place stress on the elbow.
Despite the name, you don’t have to play tennis to experience symptoms commonly associated with tennis elbow.
This type of irritation typically affects the outside of the elbow and may cause pain during gripping, lifting, or certain wrist movements.
Golfer’s elbow generally causes discomfort on the inside of the elbow and is also related to repetitive stress.
Like tennis elbow, it can occur in people who have never played the sport it’s named after.
Previous Injuries
A previous elbow or arm injury can sometimes lead to recurring discomfort, stiffness, or changes in how the joint moves.
You may notice that symptoms return during certain activities or after increasing how much you use the arm.
Changes Within or Around the Joint
Joint and soft-tissue changes can develop over time and may contribute to pain, stiffness, swelling, or reduced mobility.
Because several conditions can cause similar symptoms, the location of your pain is only one piece of the puzzle.
Why Does My Elbow Hurt When I Grip or Lift Something?
Gripping something doesn’t just involve your hand. Muscles and tendons in your forearm help control your wrist and fingers, and some of those tissues connect near the elbow.
When those areas are irritated, activities such as picking up a cup, carrying a bag, using tools, opening a jar, or lifting weights may trigger pain around the elbow.
If you consistently feel pain during gripping or lifting, especially if it is getting worse, an evaluation can help determine what’s causing it.
When Should I Get Elbow Pain Checked?
Mild soreness after an unusual amount of activity may improve with rest. Pain that doesn’t improve, repeatedly returns, or begins interfering with normal activities may need further evaluation.
Consider talking with a healthcare provider if you’ve had elbow pain for several weeks, notice persistent swelling or stiffness, have difficulty gripping or lifting objects, or are changing the way you use your arm because of the pain.
Severe pain following an injury, obvious deformity, significant swelling, inability to move the elbow, or sudden weakness should receive prompt medical attention.
Could Regenerative Medicine Be an Option for Elbow Pain?
Treatment for elbow pain depends on the underlying cause, how long you’ve had symptoms, and how the problem is affecting your daily activities.
For some patients with certain musculoskeletal conditions, regenerative medicine approaches such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) may be considered as part of a treatment plan.
PRP is prepared using a patient’s own blood to create a concentration of platelets containing growth factors involved in the body’s natural healing processes.
PRP isn’t appropriate for every type of elbow pain, so an evaluation is important before determining whether regenerative medicine or another treatment approach may be appropriate.
Don’t Let Elbow Pain Become Your New Normal
If you’ve started avoiding certain activities, changing the way you lift things, or simply waiting for elbow pain to disappear and it hasn’t, it may be time to find out why.
At Restoration Wellness in Lebanon, Tennessee, our Joint Pain Center can evaluate your symptoms and discuss treatment options based on your individual needs.
Schedule a joint pain consultation with Restoration Wellness to learn more about what’s causing your elbow pain and what your next steps may be.