What Could Cause Joint Pain in the Left Elbow?

Reviewed by Tomas Diaz, MD

Emergency Medicine

Left elbow pain commonly occurs due to tendon overuse (tendinopathy) and arthritis, though there are many other possible causes.

Explanation

Elbow pain most commonly stems from tendon injury or arthritis. Tendinopathy occurs when the tendons around your elbow become overused or irritated, often from repetitive motions. Arthritis is another frequent cause, where joint inflammation leads to pain from wear and tear. That being said, there are many other possible causes of elbow pain. If you experience persistent or severe elbow pain, it's important to consult a healthcare provider for a proper evaluation of your specific condition.

(References)

Kheiran A, Pandey A, Pandey R. Common tendinopathies around the elbow; what does current evidence say? J Clin Orthop Trauma. 2021 May 21;19:216-223. doi: 10.1016/j.jcot.2021.05.021. PMID: 34150494; PMCID: PMC8190485.
Zhou Y, Zhu L, Lin YX, Cheng HL. Charcot Elbow Joint as the Initial Symptom in Chiari Malformation with Syringomyelia. Chin Med J (Engl). 2015 Dec 20;128(24):3381-2. doi: 10.4103/0366-6999.171466. PMID: 26668155; PMCID: PMC4797516.
Baimukhamedov C. Arthritis of the left elbow joint after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Int J Rheum Dis. 2021 Sep;24(9):1218-1220. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.14202. Epub 2021 Aug 6. PMID: 34363344; PMCID: PMC8441889
Del Core MA, Koehler D. Elbow Arthritis. J Hand Surg Am. 2023 Jun;48(6):603-611. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2022.12.014. Epub 2023 Feb 8. PMID: 36759236.

Tell your friends about us.

We would love to help them too.

For First Time Users

What is Ubie’s Doctor’s Note?

We provide a database of explanations from real doctors on a range of medical topics. Get started by exploring our library of questions and topics you want to learn more about.

Learn more about symptoms

Elbow pain

Not sure about the cause of your current symptoms?

Try our AI-based symptom checker

With an easy 3-min questionnaire, you can get a free AI-powered report on possible causes

Tips to try:

Provide specific, detailed info about all symptoms you have.
Give accurate information about yourself including current conditions.
Answer all follow-up questions

Purpose and positioning of servicesUbie Doctor’s Note is a service for informational purposes. The provision of information by physicians, medical professionals, etc. is not a medical treatment. If medical treatment is required, please consult your doctor or medical institution. We strive to provide reliable and accurate information, but we do not guarantee the completeness of the content. If you find any errors in the information, please contact us.