Elbow or arm pain
Introduction
Arm pain is common and usually caused by an injury or fall. It can often be managed with rest and over-the-counter painkillers.
If your arm has suddenly started hurting but you don't think the cause is serious, try caring for it at home by:
- holding an ice pack (a pack of frozen peas in a teatowel works well) to your arm for 15-20 minutes every few hours for the first couple of days
- taking over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol or Painkillers, ibuprofen , to relieve the pain and any inflammation
- resting the arm and keepingit raised for as long as possible (try resting it on cushions) to help reduce any swelling and pain
See your GP if your arm pain doesn't improve after several days, or if there's increasing redness, swelling or pain.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 30 Nov 2016
Introduction
Read about the common causes of arm pain, including sprains, tennis or golfer's elbow and bursitis, plus simple self care techniques, such as ice packs and painkillers.
When toget immediatemedical help
See your GP immediately if: your arm pain is brought on by exercise and relieved with rest; it may be a sign of angina (restrictedblood supply to the heart) you think you may have a broken arm (bu
Common causes of arm pain
The most common causes of arm pain are: a simple sprain tennis elbow or golfer's elbow bursitis a squashed or trapped nerve angina repetitive strain injury (RSI) These
Less common causes of arm pain
Less commonly, arm pain may be caused by one of the following conditions or injuries: de Quervain's tenosynovitis inflammation of the tendons on the inside of the wrist (read about tendonitis and
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