Tennis Elbow - When To Call a Doctor

SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS

Call your doctor immediately if you had an injury to your elbow and:

  • You have severe elbow pain.
  • You cannot move your elbow normally.
  • Your elbow looks deformed.
  • Your elbow begins to swell within 30 minutes of the injury.
  • You have signs of damage to the nerves or blood vessels. These include:
    • Numbness, tingling, or a "pins-and-needles" sensation below the injury.
    • Pale or bluish skin.
    • The injured arm feeling colder to the touch than the uninjured one.

Call your doctor if you have:

  • Pain when grasping, twisting, or lifting objects.
  • Work-related problems caused by your elbow pain.
  • Elbow pain after 2 weeks of home treatment or if treatment is making your elbow pain worse.

Watchful Waiting

Watchful waiting is when you and your doctor watch your symptoms to see if your health improves on its own. If it does, no treatment is needed. If your symptoms don't get better or they get worse, then it's time to take the next treatment step.

Home treatment often helps mild tennis elbow pain. You may want to try resting the elbow and applying ice or heat several times a day for 1 to 2 weeks before you call your doctor.

Who To See

For evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment of tennis elbow, you may see:

You may be referred to a:

  • Physical therapist (for stretching andstrengthening exercises).
  • Tennis or other sports instructor (fortraining in sports).
  • Specialist in job-related safety or ergonomics(for work-related activities).

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.

By: Healthwise StaffLast Revised: January 21, 2011
Medical Review: William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
David Bardana, MD, FRCSC - Orthopedic Surgery, Sports Medicine

1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

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