Elbow pain usually isn't serious. But because you use your elbow in so many ways, elbow pain can be a problem. Your elbow is a complex joint. It allows you to stretch out and bend your arm and turn your hand and forearm. As you often combine these movements, you may have a hard time describing exactly which movement brings on the pain.

Elbow pain may come and go, get worse with movement, or may be constant. It may feel like sharp or aching pain or cause tingling or numbness in your arm and hand. Sometimes elbow pain is caused by a problem in your neck or upper spine or in your shoulder.