Signs of wear

Long-term overloading can wear away the cartilage layer in the elbow joint. This is called arthrosis. It is caused by years of incorrect strain and leads to slowly increasing pain during movement.

In the course of time, the pain occurs especially at rest and improves in the short term through slight movements. The disease is usually chronic and difficult to treat. Repetitive Strain Injury can also result from everyday work on the computer, which requires the same movement in the elbow joint for years.

Neurological diseases

One form of nerve irritation is the irritation of the elbow nerve (nervus ulnaris), for example, by an impact on an edge. This is the “musician’s bone” as it is popularly known, as the pain is felt throughout the entire forearm. However, this form of pain quickly recedes and cannot be compared with other neurological diseases.

These are chronic diseases of the nerves, which prevent the transmission of information via the nerves or cause too much pain in the nerves without any recognizable external cause. This form of the diseases usually does not only affect the elbow, but occurs particularly frequently on the legs. Many forms of elbow pain subside quickly on their own and do not require special diagnostics.

However, if the pain persists for a longer time, a doctor should be consulted. A detailed anamnesis is particularly important in this case. Pain character, pain localization and pain duration are important information.

Also numerous basic illnesses such as rheumatological diseases, diabetes or neurological diseases should be mentioned in the physician discussion. Also special stress of the elbow should not remain unmentioned.The elbow, its mobility and painful pressure points are then tested. This gives the doctor indications as to whether mobility is restricted or whether the elbow is overheated or reddened.

In addition, the doctor checks whether the joint is swollen or whether there is an effusion. If certain causes are suspected, such as an inflammation or injury, further examinations are carried out. If a bone fracture or severe muscular injury is suspected, an X-ray is taken.

If an inflammation is suspected, the inflammation parameters are determined in the laboratory. An ultrasound examination of the joint may reveal a joint effusion, which can be punctured by ultrasound. If chronic joint degeneration is suspected, a joint endoscopy (arthroscopy) should be performed.

During this procedure, the joint can be closely examined and therapeutic intervention can be performed at the same time. For more precise imaging, there is the option of magnetic resonance imaging of the elbow (MRI), which allows the muscles and nerves to be visualized. Especially pain caused by the soft tissues can be well visualized by an elbow MRI.