What causes the following symptom: "Elbow pain"?

Generally, the symptom "Elbow pain" can be related to: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Osteoarthritis (OA), Tenosynovitis, Cancer pain, Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)

Which serious diseases can cause the following symptom: "Elbow pain?"

Sometimes, the symptom "Elbow pain" may be related to these serious diseases: Elbow dislocation / nursemaid's elbow, Decompression sickness

Which other symptoms can occur along with the following symptom: "Elbow pain"?

The symptom "Elbow pain" can occur along with the following: (1) I have pain in both elbows. (2) Sleeping is difficult because my elbow hurts. (3) Hurts to bend arm (elbow). (4) I can't bend or straighten my arm because of pain. (5) Elbow pain that gets worse when wringing a towel. (6) Elbow hurts even more when turning a doorknob. (7) Elbow throbbing through the night. (8) I feel pain at my elbow. (9) Elbow pain that gets worse when twisting cloth. (10) Elbow pain gets worse when turning a doorknob. (11) Straightening the elbow makes the pain worse. (12) Pain in right elbow. (13) Can't turn a doorknob because of elbow pain. (14) Wringing a towel causes my elbow to hurt. (15) Bending the elbow makes the pain worse

Elbow Pain

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Reviewed By:

Tomohiro Hamahata, MD (Orthopedic surgery)

Dr. Hamahata graduated from the Jikei University of Medical Science. After working at Asanokawa General Hospital and Kosei Chuo Hospital, he joined the Department of Orthopedics at Asakusa Hospital in April 2021, specializing in general orthopedics and joint replacement surgery.

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My elbow hurts

Can't bend or extend my elbow properly because it hurts

Elbow pain when trying to sleep

Opening a door with a doorknob causes elbow to hurt

Can't wring cloth or clothes because my elbow hurts

Have elbow pain

Straightening the elbow causes pain

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People with these symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes

I have pain in both elbows
Sleeping is difficult because my elbow hurts
Hurts to bend arm (elbow)
I can't bend or straighten my arm because of pain
Elbow pain that gets worse when wringing a towel
Elbow hurts even more when turning a doorknob
Elbow throbbing through the night

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Content updated on Jan 4, 2023

About the symptom

It refers to pain or discomfort arising from any part of the elbow joint, including cartilage, bone, ligaments, tendons or muscles.

When to see a doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

Recent weight loss
Numbness / sensory disorder
Repeated fever above 38 ℃
Swelling of the affected area
Fever

Possible causes

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
An inflammatory disease affecting multiple joints, especially in the hands and feet. The cause is autoimmunity (body's immune system attacking itself).
Osteoarthritis (OA)
Wear and tear of the joint cartilage over time. Risk factors include repetitive joint movements, and carrying heavy loads for many years.
Tenosynovitis
Tendons are structures of cartilage that connect muscle to bone. Tenosynovitis occurs when the layer/tunnel around the tendon becomes inflamed. Causes include overuse or repetitive strain on the tendon.
Cancer pain
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)

Related serious diseases

Elbow dislocation / nursemaid's elbow
Dislocation of the elbow joint. In young children, the elbow joint is loose and can become dislocated simply by pulling on the arm. Affected children may complain of severe pain or become unable to bend the elbow.
Decompression sickness

Questions your doctor may ask about this symptom

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom

Do you have elbow pain?
Do you feel any weakness in your arms or legs?
Is the affected area red?
Is the affected area swollen?
Do you feel any numbness or change in sensation?

Other Related Symptoms

Symptoms from the same body system / part

Symptoms treated by the same specialty

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.
https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2014/0415/p649.html
Arrigoni P, Cucchi D, Menon A, Randelli P. It's time to change perspective! New diagnostic tools for lateral elbow pain. Musculoskelet Surg. 2017 Dec;101(Suppl 2):175-179. doi: 10.1007/s12306-017-0486-8. Epub 2017 Aug 2. PMID: 28770509.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12306-017-0486-8
Daniels SP, De Tolla JE, Azad A, Fritz J. Imaging Evaluation of Medial and Lateral Elbow Pain: Acute and Chronic Tendon Injuries of the Humeral Epicondyles. Semin Musculoskelet Radiol. 2021 Aug;25(4):589-599. doi: 10.1055/s-0041-1731790. Epub 2021 Oct 27. PMID: 34706389.
https://www.thieme-connect.de/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0041-1731790
Cohen-Rosenblum A, Bielski RJ. Elbow Pain After a Fall: Nursemaid's Elbow or Fracture? Pediatr Ann. 2016 Jun 1;45(6):e214-7. doi: 10.3928/00904481-20160506-01. PMID: 27294496.
https://journals.healio.com/doi/10.3928/00904481-20160506-01
Descatha A, Despréaux T, Calfee RP, Evanoff B, Saint-Lary O. Progressive elbow pain. BMJ. 2016 Apr 5;353:i1391. doi: 10.1136/bmj.i1391. PMID: 27048479.
https://www.bmj.com/content/353/bmj.i1391