Using an elbow or hand the same way over and over or with poor technique can cause epicondylitis. This is inflammation or a tiny tear in the muscle or tendon on either side of the elbow. It can cause pain, making it hard to grip things, to turn your hand, or to swing your arm. Many athletes experience this problem, so it is often called tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow. But most cases are not due to sports.

Epicondylitis is the most common type of elbow problem. Conservative treatments such as rest, ice, medications and motion exercises may relieve the problem. If those steps do not alleviate the problem further treatment may include cortisone injection, physical therapy, splinting or surgery.

Falling on your elbow or hitting it on something hard may crack or break a bone. Your elbow can then swell and hurt, making it hard to move your arm.

A fluid-filled sac called the bursa cushions the tip of your elbow. Banging the tip hard or using the elbow too much can make the bursa swell and hurt. This is called bursitis, which means inflammation of the bursa. The bursa may respond to injury by filling with too much fluid. Left untreated, that excess fluid may become infected.

Treatment can include:

• Inject the bursa with cortisone to help relieve inflammation.
• Prescribe antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medications.
• Have you wear an elbow wrap or splint.
• Remove (aspirate) the excess fluid.

Your “funny bone” is actually a nerve that runs through your elbow. If this nerve gets irritated, your elbow may ache or your little finger and ring finger may feel tingly or numb. Irritation can be caused by overuse of the elbow, leaning too hard on it, or hitting it on something. Swelling caused by some other problem can also irritate the nerve.

Treatments may include wearing a splint at night to keep the elbow straight, cortisone injection to reduce inflammation, or surgery to reduce pressure on the nerve.