If you’ve ever whacked your elbow against a hard surface, you know there is nothing funny about hitting your funny bone. While you do not actually have a funny bone, the pain you feel is real because you have actually struck your ulnar nerve running along your arm’s humerus bone. It is unknown whether the term funny bone is derived as an anatomical pun for humorous or if it is called that because of the instant funny sensation of pain, numbness and tingling you feel from the ulnar nerve. Luckily, the pain from your funny bone only lasts for a little while. However, if you suffer from sudden or persistent arm or elbow pain, you may have elbow bursitis.

Arm Pain and Elbow Bursitis

Elbow bursitis is a condition occuring when the bursa inside the elbow has become irritated or inflamed. A bursa is a small sac that holds a slippery fluid that helps reduce friction and irritation from moving bone, muscles, tendon and skin. In the elbow, the bursa is located between your skin and the olecranon. Your olecranon is a pointy bone that is found at the tip of your elbow.

Extra fluid fills the bursa when it becomes inflamed or irritated. When this happens, you may have swelling on the back of your elbow. You might not notice your elbow is right away because it may begin gradually or just suddenly appear. As your elbow continues to swell, it may have a swelling that looks similar to a golf ball at the tip of your elbow. Elbow bursitis is frequently caused by repetitive motions.

Sometimes you may not notice that your elbow has become swollen because bursitis doesn’t always cause pain. However, you will feel pain if the bursa becomes infected and your elbow becomes tender. In some cases, your elbow may appear red and feel warm. You might also run a fever. Left unchecked, the infection can cause your bursa to burst and drain pus.

Treatment for Arm Pain and Elbow Bursitis

Sometimes elbow bursitis will go away without out treatment if you rest your elbow and frequently apply ice. When seeing a doctor for elbow bursitis, he will usually order x-rays or bloodwork to rule out other injuries or illnesses that could mimic bursitis. The doctor may drain the fluid from the bursa to see if there is any pus in it. You may be prescribed antibiotics if you do have an infection.

Treatment for arm pain and elbow bursitis may include:

• Avoiding activities that could aggravate your elbow
• Wrapping your elbow in a snug wrap
• Taking NSAID medications to reduce inflammation
• Removing fluid from the bursa via a needed

Preferred Care for Arm Pain and Elbow Bursitis

If you have unexplained arm pain, you need care from an experienced orthopedic doctor like Dr. Howard Marans. The Doctor has over two decades of experience treating joint and orthopedic conditions. Schedule a consultation at Orthopedic+ today by clicking below or calling 714.979.8981.