“When should you see a doctor for elbow pain?”
I am a 37 year old male. I have weird elbow pain. When should you see a doctor for elbow pain?
6 Answers
Any pain that is persistent past 2 weeks warrants seeing your healthcare provider. If pain severe see asap
If it lingers despite over the counter pain meds, interferes with activities of daily living, radiating up or down, with associated numbness or tingling sensation of the fingers, weakness of the hand, associated neck pain, obvious deformities...these are the usual symptoms when to see a doctor for elbow pain.
If any painful condition is not getting steadily better with rest and reduced use, it is a good idea to see a physician. Physiatrists are specializing in muscle, bone and joint issues. if there is not one near you, a good sports medicine trained physician is good, or your primary care physician can help.
You should see a physical therapy MD as soon as possible. Although it is not an emergency, you probably have an inflammation of the tendons that can be painful and easy taken care of by a good therapist. So please, do not spend your time with the primary care doctor, go to a pain management or physical therapy doctor.
It is up to the patient and the severity of your pain. If the pain has been bothering you for a while, I would suggest you seek a professional opinion.
Yours sincerely,
Linda Li, MD
Yours sincerely,
Linda Li, MD
If after 4-6 weeks you still have elbow pain, it’s time to see a doctor and time for some physical therapy. Bad things react badly and if they don’t go away, they need to be treated. Physical therapy will be beneficial.
