What Could Be Causing My Elbow to Ache?

Reviewed by Tomas Diaz, MD

Emergency Medicine

Several conditions can cause elbow pain, including tendon inflammation, joint inflammation, or bursitis.

Explanation

Elbow pain most commonly comes from overuse injuries. Repeating the same movement can strain and inflame the tendons around your elbow. This can lead to conditions like tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) or golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis)—problems that cause pain in the outer or inner part of the elbow. Arthritis or joint inflammation in the elbow can also cause aching. Additionally, nerve compression or bursitis (a swollen fluid-filled sac near the joint) may cause discomfort. Take a break from activities that cause or worsen your pain, and visit a healthcare provider. They can evaluate your specific situation.

(References)

Kane SF, Lynch JH, Taylor JC. Evaluation of elbow pain in adults. Am Fam Physician. 2014 Apr 15;89(8):649-57. PMID: 24784124.
Gerdesmeyer L, Lampe R, Göbel M, Henne M, Burgkart R. Differenzialdiagnosen beim Ellenbogenschmerz. Denken Sie nicht nur an den Tennisarm [Leading symptom elbow pain. Differential diagnosis]. MMW Fortschr Med. 2003 Sep 25;145(39):32-6. German. PMID: 14649070.
Reece CL, Li D, SUSMARSKI ADAMJ. Medial Epicondylitis. [Updated 2024 May 2]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557869/

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