An elbow lump is a pathology that describes an out-of-place swelling, bump, or protrusion of the elbow either on the inner or outer side. There are multiple reasons lumps can develop on the elbow such as trauma, tissue disease, or skin infection.
Elbow lumps can occur at a joint level or deep to the skin surface or underneath. Lumps can also vary in size, being small to large, being harmful or benign, or soft to hard.
Some lumps become inflamed, resulting in pulsatile, tender, painful, or itchy characteristics. In serious cases, a lump in the elbow may restrict the range of motion of the forearm and result in more permanent tissue damage in and around the elbow joint.
This blog describes the typical elbow lumps you may have, their potential causes, symptoms you could feel and present with, and potential treatments. Here we will also discuss the importance of a proper diagnosis in treating a lump in the elbow and how an ultrasound scan of the forearm and elbow will help aid in identifying harmful lumps.
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Elbow Lump – Causes, Types, and Treatments
Elbow lumps can be categorised generally depending on the cause. It is difficult to distinguish elbow lumps without an understanding of their origins. In addition to this, it is not uncommon for elbow lumps to represent underlying health issues, that is, they can be indicative or symptomatic of the health of a person.
There are seven types of elbow lumps based on their causes:
Lumps Due To Injuries
The elbow is the joint where three bones come together – the humerus, radius, and ulna. A fracture or dislocation of the elbow bones can create lumps.
The tendons that attach the muscles to these three bones can also tear due to an acute injury, a postural injury or a repetitive injury, which could also create a lump. This is the basis of ‘tennis elbow’ (lateral epicondylitis) and ‘golfer’s elbow’ (medial epicondylitis). Lump formation due to an injury is basically an inflammatory process.
Therefore, most injury-induced lumps resolve as the injury heals. With more persistent lumps, sometimes intervention through a form of drainage, medication or additional treatment methods may be needed.
Cysts
Cysts are a type of membranous, sac-like cavity that can contain gas, fluid, or semisolid material. Cysts are most often the by-product of injuries, infections, or parasites and can occur on any area of the body or on the skin. Rarely, some cysts may turn out to be a tumour.
Cysts can also form on the elbow as a visible lump. There are two types of cysts that cause elbow lumps:
- Sebaceous cysts are caused by damage or trauma to the sebaceous glands in the layer of skin that secrete sebum – an oily substance that helps to protect the skin.
- Ganglion cysts – gelatinous lumps that typically occur along tendons or joints, usually associated with previous trauma or injury.
Most cysts are benign and only need medical attention if they affect movement or cause discomfort in the elbow. If warranted, a cyst can be aspirated, injected with anti-inflammatory medications, or surgically excised depending on its severity.
Elbow Bursitis
Bursae are small, thin patties of jelly-like fluid that are positioned between the bones of a joint and the surrounding soft tissues to provide cushioning and reduce friction in the joint. There are numerous bursae in the elbow including the subtendinous, olecranon, bicipitoradial, and interosseous bursae.
If any of the bursae become inflamed (bursitis) – due to overuse or some kind of trauma – they can fill with fluid and swell into a lump. This is most commonly seen in the olecranon bursa located at the tip of the elbow.
Mild elbow bursitis can be treated with a combination of ice and compression, and oral anti-inflammatory medications can help manage swelling. If the easier management techniques do not improve your condition, your physician may further advise draining the affected bursa.
Warts
Warts are thick, small, grainy growths of skin that typically appear on your hands and fingers, but can also appear on your elbow. They are caused by viral infections, primarily the human papilloma virus (HPV).
Wart removal initially involves treating the viral infection. After that is established, the next step is wart removal. Wart removal includes cryotherapy, salicylic acid patches, minor surgery, or laser removal based on the thickness of the wart.
Lump in Elbow: Lipomas
A lipoma is a slow-growing, doughy, fatty lump under the skin. Lipomas are benign and typically harmless. However, if they become large, they can restrict movement at the elbow, even causing pain.
Lipomas do not generally need treatment unless they are bothersome, in case of which surgical removal or minor liposuction may be required.
Tumours
A lump in your elbow could be a dreaded tumour. Cancer can start in the elbow or spread to the elbow from another body part, forming a clump of cancer cells which appears as a lump.
Synovial sarcoma is the most common soft tissue cancer in the elbow. Other cancers that can occur around the elbow are myxofibrosarcoma and pleomorphic sarcoma. Ongoing tumours occurring from these cancers can pop out in the muscles, joint ligaments, and tendons. Basal cell carcinoma is also a slow-grown skin cancer that can cause lumps around the elbow.
Elbow tumours are treated like any other typical cancer tumour. The typical treatments are surgical excision, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy.
Disease-related lumps in your elbows
Lastly, there are conditions affecting the joint and the skin that can cause lumps in one or both of your elbows. Disease-related lumps on the elbow might include:
- Eczema
- Bacterial infection
- Arthritis
- Gout
- Scabies
- Psoriasis
- Dermatitis herpetiformis
- Cellulitis
- Neurologic disorders
Addressing these types of elbow lumps involves addressing the underlying condition rather than the lump itself. However, in some situations, rehabilitation or more targeted therapy is necessary to get rid of such stubborn lumps.
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Symptoms and Signs of Elbow Lumps
The most apparent sign of an elbow lump is the obvious bump or swelling on the inner or outer side of the elbow. Besides that, here are other symptoms you may have when you have a lump on your elbow:
- Discomfort, tenderness, sensitivity, or pulsating pain in the lump or surrounding areas
- Other visible deformities in the elbow
- Reduced movement in the forearm or elbow joint
- Warmth, redness, or discolouration in the elbow
- Numbness or tingling sensation in the arm and fingers
- Popping or clicking sounds when you open or close your fingers, twist your wrist, or both extend and bend your elbow
- Weakness in the arm
- Weakening of grip
Symptoms you experience will depend on the type of lump, the cause, and its severity. You may even experience absolutely no symptoms from the lump other than swelling.
Diagnosis of Elbow Lumps with Ultrasound Scan
Lumps and deformities around your elbow can be caused by many different things, and of course, treatment for an elbow lump depends on the cause of the lump and its type.
An elbow and forearm ultrasound scan can be performed quickly, accurately, and non-invasively to visualise the lump and create the right treatment plan, or identify if treatment is necessary at all.
An ultrasound scan provides you with a high-quality imaging modality that allows you to assess your elbow and forearm from all angles – showing your tendons, ligaments, bones, and muscles in real-time. The live ultrasound feed can show movement in your forearm and elbow joint as well.
An ultrasound scan will allow you to get a view of these most common abnormalities of elbow lumps and other problems by peering deep beneath the skin:
- Tendonitis – inflamed tendons
- Tendinosis – degeneration of the tendon from overuse
- Fracture to the humerus, radius or ulna
- Tears in various tendons or ligaments
- Olecranon bursitis
- Physical damage to tissue
- Dislocation or misalignment of bone
- Neurological conditions, median nerve entrapment syndrome, radial tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome
- Tumours, cysts or lipomas
- Arthritic changes
- Loss of normal range of motion of the elbow and forearm
Book Your Private Elbow and Forearm Ultrasound Scan Today
A forearm and elbow ultrasound scan is straightforward and painless, and only takes about 20 to 30 minutes. At Sono Clinic, all scans are done by a friendly specialist doctor who is committed to addressing all your concerns. And, you will receive the scan results on the same day with personalised advice and recommendations.
You may wonder what it is like to attend your elbow and forearm ultrasound scan appointment. Here is essentially how it will go:
No preparation is required from you, but you may want to wear loose-fitting and comfortable clothing with sleeves that allow you to have your clothing on while keeping your arm exposed for the scan. You may also leave your jewellery at home if you could do without it for ease of the scan.
Once you are in the scanning room, the ultrasound specialist will likely ask you to sit or lie on the examination table. After a brief visual assessment of your elbow and some possible flexing, if necessary and if you are able to do so, they will position the arm on the table and put plain water-based gel around the elbow. The gel is a lubricant to allow the scanning probe to easily slide over your skin.
When everything is ready, the ultrasound specialist will move the scanning probe back and forth over the involved area, and will stop at specific intervals to capture still images. These images, along with a live feed, are displayed on a screen in front of you during the scan. This is a part of the scanning process. A contact gel will be applied to your elbow that is being scanned and this will be used to help with the imaging test and timely cleaned up afterwards.
Ultrasound scans will take only few minutes to complete. The specialist you are working with will notify you when the ultrasound is completed. Once you have completed the scan, the excess gel on your elbow will be wiped off. If you previously took off your top, you can re-dress before the next step.
Then, the ultrasound will be diagnosed by the specialist at the time of your appointment and an official report outlining the ultrasound findings will be created. If your ultrasound results and findings indicate the need for medical concern, recommendations to begin treatment or necessary tests may be provided.
And just like that, you have completed a painless ultrasound scan with no medications, side effects or aftercare!
Sono Clinic is a certified and registered imaging and scanning centre. Our top priority here is your health and reassurance above anything else. We look forward to meeting you at our clinic for a private elbow and forearm ultrasound in London or any other type of ultrasound scan. Please feel free to visit our Sono Clinic with any questions you may have!
Private Elbow Ultrasound in London – No Waiting, No Hassle
Skip delays and get precise imaging to diagnose tendonitis, soft tissue tears, or joint problems.
