Elbow Pain Relief in Portland and Gresham

Elbow Your elbow is a surprisingly complex joint, where two forearm bones meet the upper arm bone. This arrangement allows you not only to bend and straighten your arm, but also to rotate your forearm and hand. Injuries here are common and, while often painful, are rarely serious.

Elbow pain can be constant or come and go, and it frequently gets worse with movement. It might feel sharp or like a dull ache, and it can come with tingling or numbness running into the arm or hand. Because your elbow is involved in so many everyday movements, it can be hard to pinpoint exactly which motion is the culprit.

Getting to the Root of It

Because elbow pain can stem from many different places, we start with a thorough history covering your symptoms, when and how they started, and what makes them better or worse. From there, we perform a specific physical exam to determine whether the problem is coming from muscles, tendons, nerves, ligaments, the elbow joint, or the bones themselves.

We also consider whether irritation in the neck or upper back may be playing a role. We have on-site X-rays, and can order MRI, CT scan, or other imaging when needed.

Common Causes

Elbow pain most often comes from inflamed or compressed nerves, tendon inflammation, muscle spasms, ligament injuries, fractures, or joint damage. It can develop after a work or auto accident, a direct impact or fall, or through repetitive overuse. It can also appear during normal daily activity when underlying muscle weakness or imbalance is present, and those imbalances have a way of turning small problems into bigger ones over time.

How We Treat It

Treatment may include:

Massage and manual therapy to improve range of motion
Rehabilitative exercises with weights or resistance bands
Gentle joint adjustments to improve motion and nerve function
Light therapy to encourage faster healing
Kinesio-taping for support and neurological feedback
Cupping
Electric muscle stimulation for pain and inflammation

We’ll also guide you on home care including ice or heat use, elbow-specific stretches, whether a temporary brace would help, and posture adjustments including sleep position.

If your situation calls for additional care, we will refer you to the right specialist.

We are an injury-based clinic and stay with our patients until the condition is fully resolved. We look beyond the injury to identify contributing factors that could slow your recovery, and can provide a work restriction form for your employer if your job duties need to be adjusted during treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow?

Both involve tendon irritation but affect opposite sides of the elbow. Tennis elbow causes pain on the outer side, typically linked to gripping or wrist extension. Golfer’s elbow causes pain on the inner side and tends to involve wrist flexion. Neither requires you to play a sport to develop one.

Can elbow pain come from my neck?

Yes. Nerves traveling down the arm originate in the neck and upper back, so irritation there can produce pain, tingling, or numbness that shows up at the elbow or below, which is why we evaluate more than just the elbow itself.

Do I need to stop all activity while being treated?

Not necessarily. In many cases light activity is fine or even helpful. We will give you clear guidance on what to avoid and for how long based on what we find.

Let’s Get Your Elbow Feeling Like Itself Again

Whether your elbow pain came on suddenly or has been building for a while, we are here to figure out what’s going on and get you back to doing what you need to do. Contact Woodstock Chiropractic today to schedule at our Portland or Gresham location.

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