Elbow-swelling: Causes & Reasons

2.1

Warning: Do not use in emergencies, if pregnant, if under 18, or as a substitute for a doctor’s advice or diagnosis. Learn more

Possible Causes for elbow swelling

Elbow Fracture

Additional visual symptoms such as a lump or deformity of the elbow, swelling and discoloration from bruising or redness may be present. [handtoshoulderwisconsin.com]

Raise the arm to reduce swelling. Keep the elbow above heart level as often as possible. [saintlukeskc.org]

Elbow fractured symptoms typically include severe pain, tenderness, difficulty in bending and straightening the elbow, and numbness in the fingers, hand or forearm. [handtoshoulderwisconsin.com]

Hemophilia

After childhood, hemorrhages in the joints—notably the knees, ankles, and elbows—are frequent, resulting in swelling and impaired function. [britannica.com]

Internal bleeding may result in swelling, pain or tightness in the knees, elbows and ankles that can lead to arthritis and limited movement. [livescience.com]

As more blood pools in it and swelling occurs, the joint feels tight, may be hot to the touch and becomes painful to bend. [hemophilia.org]

Lateral Epicondylitis

Pain may increase when you press on the outside of your elbow. In addition to pain, you may have swelling around your elbow joint. Causes What causes tennis elbow? [familydoctor.org]

Symptoms of Tennis Elbow & Diagnosis Symptom of tennis elbow commonly include: ( 10 ) Pain, tenderness and swelling around the elbow. [draxe.com]

It occurs when the tendons that attach the muscle to the bone on the outside part of the elbow swell or tear. [familydoctor.org]

Medial Epicondylitis

Symptoms include pain and tenderness on the inside of the elbow. Bruising and swelling may be present for more servere injuries. [sportsinjuryclinic.net]

Ongoing sport participation without proper treatment may lead to an increase in the severity of the elbow pain, elbow swelling, and eventually decreased performance, like [dubinchiro.com]

You will be given pain killers to aid discomfort and your elbow should remain elevated to lessen swelling in the initial period after the surgery. [physio.co.uk]

Olecranon Bursitis

Signs and Symptoms The common symptoms of elbow bursitis include: Pain around the back of the elbow Swelling directly over the bony prominence of the tip of the elbow Limited [orthopedics.about.com]

This can cause pain and a noticeable swelling behind the elbow. Elbow bursitis is the most common type of bursitis. [verywellhealth.com]

You may experience symptoms such as elbow joint pain and tenderness when you press around the joint, stiffness and aching on movement of the elbow, swelling, warmth, and/or [handmiami.com]

Radial Head Fracture

Symptoms: Pain, mainly on the outside of the elbow Swelling Decreased range of motion of the elbow Decreased supination or pronation (turning palm up or down) How is it diagnosed [sportsandortho.com]

The symptoms include severe pain on the outside of the elbow, swelling in the elbow, difficulty in moving the arm, visible deformity indicating dislocation, bruising and stiffness [carrellclinic.com]

The radial head is the part of the radius bone lying on the outside of the elbow. Symptoms of Fracture Pain and swelling along the outside of the elbow. [ksfortho.com]

Ulnar Nerve Entrapment

Other associated conditions include: Diabetes Rheumatoid arthritis (or other causes of wrist or elbow swelling) Thyroid disease Trauma Treatment of these conditions may improve [sharecare.com]

History of fracture or dislocation of the elbow Arthritis and bone spur growth at the elbow Swelling of the elbow joint Physical activities or postures involving prolonged [pathologies.lexmedicus.com.au]

[…] bending Treatment with analgesics and NSAIDs Ice pads to reduce inflammation and swelling Elbow rehabilitation soon after surgery possibly with the support of a brace. [pathologies.lexmedicus.com.au]

Anterior Cerebral Artery Occlusion

Symptoms of olecranon bursitis may include: Pain, especially with movement of the elbow or pressure on the elbow. Swelling. [healthlinkbc.ca]

There is a red and tender swelling of the left posterior elbow. [step2.medbullets.com]

If the olecranon bursa is inflamed then it causes a thickness and swelling over the back of the elbow. [patient.info]

Septic Bursitis

[…] ice padding the elbow elevating the elbow compression medication The simplest treatment is the most common one – protecting the elbow from trauma and keeping the swelling [noelhenley.com]

We describe the case of a 44-year-old man who presented to the Emergency Department (ED) complaining of pain and swelling over the left elbow of 1-week duration. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

History Patients usually remark a focal swelling at the posterior elbow. [1] [2] the swelling is sometimes painless. [physio-pedia.com]

Bursitis

Patients often present with elbow swelling, pain, tenderness, redness, and limited movement. [radiopaedia.org]

Elbow : Swelling. Tenderness may occur if infection is present. Heel : this type of bursitis is often associated with runners and is caused by overuse. [belmarrahealth.com]

Juvenile Osteochondrosis of the Capitulum Humeri

See also Elbow Anatomy. Capitellar OCD Clinical Evaluation Activity related posterolateral elbow pain /- swelling and decreased ROM. [eorif.com]

Clinical Presentation Pain, swelling & loss of motion Adolescence to early adulthood Uncommon but related to overuse particularly throwing Little Leaguers Elbow - valgus [orthofracs.com]

The doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory medicine to help reduce pain and swelling. The elbow may need to be rested. [eorthopod.com]

Hemophilia B

These “bleeds,” as they are known, occur mainly into the knees, ankles and elbows and can cause extreme swelling, pain and damage to joints and internal organs. [health.ucsd.edu]

This can cause swelling and pain or tightness in the joints; it often affects the knees, elbows, and ankles. [cdc.gov]

Osteochondritis Dissecans of Shoulders, Elbows, and Knees

Symptoms of Elbow Osteochondritis Dissecans Locking and clicking of the elbow. Swelling which comes and goes. Loss of full function or movement. Intermittent pain. [sportsinjuryclinic.net]

Symptoms of Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Elbow. Pain and swelling in the elbow. About 85 of knee lesions are on the medial femoral condyle. [betel.tk]

[…] cracking noise with elbow movement (crepitus) Swelling in the elbow Tenderness at the elbow when moving it Difficulty moving the elbow Reduced range of motion in the elbow [rushortho.com]

Insect Bite

The postmortem examination revealed swelling and desquamation of skin and erythema on the left arm extending below the elbow. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Scabies appearance Pimple-like rashes usually on the wrist, elbow, armpit, nipple, waist, belt-line, buttocks, and between the fingers Small, raised lines on the surface of [orkin.com]

[…] the skin symptoms Intense itching that worsens in the evening Numbness, tingling and swelling around the sting site notes Caused by the itch mite that does not actually bite [orkin.com]

Oligoarthritis

Symptoms of olecranon bursitis may include: Pain, especially with movement of the elbow or pressure on the elbow. Swelling. [healthlinkbc.ca]

There is a red and tender swelling of the left posterior elbow. [step2.medbullets.com]

If the olecranon bursa is inflamed then it causes a thickness and swelling over the back of the elbow. [patient.info]

Gingivitis

This primarily causes pain and swelling in a single joint, possibly in the knee, elbow, or hip. [medicalnewstoday.com]

Additional symptoms of septic arthritis include: redness and swelling in the joint intense pain in the joint loss of mobility in the joint fever and chills Doctors are still [medicalnewstoday.com]

Epicondylitis

What is tennis elbow? Lateral epicondylitis, commonly known as tennis elbow, is swelling of the tendons that bend your wrist backward away from your palm. [hopkinsmedicine.org]

[…] for swelling Avoid activities that tend to bring on the symptoms and increase stress on the tendons Anti-inflammatory medications and/or steroid injections to treat pain [kevinkaplanmd.com]

is swelling or tearing of the tendons that bend your wrist backward away from your palm. [hopkinsmedicine.org]

Tendinitis

Elbow (olecranon bursitis) Elbow bursitis usually causes a visible swelling at the tip of the elbow. [arapc.com]

Symptoms of tendinitis include: Pain near where a tendon joins a bone to muscle Swelling of tenderness near a joint such as the elbow, wrist or shoulder Difficulty moving [arthritispa.com]

Sometimes the bursa swells so much that fluid may be removed and sent for analysis. [arapc.com]

Fracture

Arm: Pain, swelling, abnormal bend, difficulty using or moving arm, warmth, bruising, or redness Elbow: Pain, swelling, bruising, stiffness, a ‘pop’ noise at the time of fracture [my.clevelandclinic.org]

An 11-year-old boy presented to the emergency department after a fall from height, with pain and swelling to the lateral side of his left elbow. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Though isolated ligamentous injuries have been reported in literature, there are no studies reporting avulsion fractures of the lateral ligamentous complex of the elbow with [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Tumoral Calcinosis

swelling. [bmj.com]

[…] the extensor surfaces of large joints of body including shoulders, sacrum, wrists and elbows. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Correspondence to: C Mockford mockford{at}doctors.org.uk A 19 year old man on haemodialysis for renal failure caused by Goodpasture’s disease presented with progressive left elbow [bmj.com]

Congenital Elbow Dislocation

Do not move the elbow. Elevate the elbow as much as possible, and ice it to reduce swelling. [emedicinehealth.com]

[…] in your elbow to move smoothly, causing inflammation, swelling, and pain. [medstarorthopaedicinstitute.org]

Elbow Arthritis Symptoms Pain Limited ability to move elbow Swelling Numbness or tingling in ring and pinky fingers Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms A weak grip Difficulty using [medstarmontgomery.org]

Pseudogout

On the first post-operative day, she complained of left elbow painful swelling with redness and warmth. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

This causes sudden swelling, pain and tenderness in the elbow joint. [epainassist.com]

This disease can cause short-term or long-term swelling in joints, most often the knee, wrist, shoulder, ankle, or elbow. [health.harvard.edu]

Ganglion Cyst

Ganglion cysts form when tissues surrounding certain joints become inflamed and swell up with lubricating fluid. [ccohs.ca]

Figure 3 Figures showing dissection and resection of the ganglion swelling. [jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com]

Most commonly, ganglions are seen on the wrist (usually the back side) and fingers, but they can also develop around joints on the shoulder, elbow, knee, hip, ankle and foot [ccohs.ca]

Humerus Fracture

Common Causes of Injury A fall onto an outstretched arm A fall directly onto the elbow A direct blow to the elbow Symptoms of Supracondylar Fracture Pain in the elbow Swelling [nationwidechildrens.org]

Nonsurgical treatment methods may include: Applying ice to the elbow can help with pain and reduce swelling Complete immobilization of the elbow with a cast is required to [dovemed.com]

[…] in the elbow and hand Obvious deformity of the elbow or arm Cannot move the elbow due to pain Numbness in the fingers or hand Fingers or hand of the injured arm are cool, [nationwidechildrens.org]

Skin Infection

Septic arthritis can also cause pain and inflammation in the spine, feet, ankles, hips, wrists, hands, elbows and shoulders. [draxe.com]

[…] shock syndrome, which can cause toxicity, rashes, confusion, muscle pains and digestive upset Septic arthritis symptoms can also form, and this type of infection causes swelling [draxe.com]

Hyperuricemia

It can also travel to places like your knees, wrists, fingers and elbows. Your joint areas will swell up and/or redden and become extremely tender. [hellolife.net]

Dermatitis

Most types cause dry, itchy skin and rashes on the face, inside the elbows and behind the knees, and on the hands and feet. [medlineplus.gov]

Rashes on the face, inside the elbows, behind the knees, and on the hands and feet. Scratching the skin can cause: Redness. Swelling. Cracking. “Weeping” clear fluid. [niams.nih.gov]

Summary Eczema is a term for several different types of skin swelling. Eczema is also called dermatitis. [medlineplus.gov]

Entrapment Neuropathy

These include: Prior fracture or dislocations of the elbow Bone spurs/ arthritis of the elbow Swelling of the elbow joint Cysts near the elbow joint Repetitive or prolonged [orthoinfo.aaos.org]

Leaning on your elbow for long periods of time can put pressure on the nerve. Fluid buildup in the elbow can cause swelling that may compress the nerve. [orthoinfo.aaos.org]

A direct blow to the inside of the elbow can cause pain, electric shock sensation, and numbness in the little and ring fingers. [orthoinfo.aaos.org]

Pharyngitis

A patient with rheumatic fever first presents with fever (38–40 C) and painful swelling of several joints such as the knees, elbows, or wrists. [atsu.edu]

Muscle Strain

[…] by sport Type of Sport Activity Type of Strain Contact sports in general Elbow, shoulder, back Track and field events featuring quick starts (hurdling, long jump, sprints [momsteam.com]

Elevation If possible, keep the injured ankle, knee, elbow, or wrist elevated on a pillow, above the level of the heart, to help decrease swelling. [acupuncture.com]

Symptoms If your child has a strain, he will likely have one or more of the following symptoms: Pain Muscle spasm Muscle weakness Swelling Inflammation Cramping Typical strains [momsteam.com]