Elbow

Elbow doctors are medical experts who work with a wide range of people, such as patients with arthritis; patients with a repetitive stress tendon injury, like tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow; or people with a traumatic, sports-related injury, such as a fracture.

These doctors are orthopedic specialists and surgeons who can offer a variety of elbow treatments; some may be minimally invasive, while others could be more complex, such as joint replacement or cubital tunnel surgery, which is performed to release pressure on the ulnar nerve.

Whether a patient is dealing with a sports-related issue like tennis elbow, is managing pain due to elbow arthritis, or their condition requires arthroscopic surgery, an elbow specialist can expertly diagnose and treat that individual, leading to reduced pain and a better quality of life.

Should You See an Elbow Doctor?

It may be time to see a doctor if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Bones in the elbow feel like they are rubbing against each other
• Chronic elbow pain
• Forearm pain
• Numbness and tingling in the hands and fingers
• Pain that's focused in the elbow joint itself
• Rotating the wrist triggers elbow pain

These problems may indicate that you are dealing with an elbow injury or condition, such as:

• Arthritis
• Bone fracture (ulnar, humerus, or radius bone)
• Bursitis
• Collateral ligament injury
• Dislocation
• Elbow impingement
• Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)
• Ligament tear
• Medial epicondylitis (golfer's elbow)
• Nerve damage
• Rotator cuff injury
• Tendon damage 
• Type of tunnel syndrome (carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, or radial tunnel syndrome)

Specialized Elbow Care You Can Trust in Bristol, Elizabethton & Johnson City

At Appalachian Orthopedics, we offer three convenient locations: Bristol Regional Medical Center, Elizabethton, and Johnson City. Our specialty-trained elbow doctors at Appalachian Orthopedics, Dr. Jason Brashear, Dr. Jonathan Clark, Dr. James Goss, Dr. John Holbrook, Dr. Gabriel Hommel, Dr. Matthew Lamagna, Dr. Bart McKinney, Dr. John Phillips, Dr. Larry Waldrop, and Dr. T. Lisle Whitman, have a full understanding of the elbow's anatomy and are dedicated to delivering an exceptional level of elbow care. They will apply their expertise directly to your situation and can guide you toward treatments that help reduce pain and restore you to optimal health. Our elbow surgeons always carefully consider nonsurgical options first before recommending surgery. Early on, they may take X-rays so they can further study the bone and surrounding structures to determine which nonsurgical treatment may be right for you, such as physical therapy or injections. If elbow surgery is ultimately needed, rest assured that our orthopedic experts will use their advanced skills along with our state-of-the-art technology to perform a surgical procedure that can help reduce or eliminate your pain and help you gain the use of your elbow again.

Working alongside our elbow surgeons, our licensed physical therapists provide a full and comprehensive set of outpatient orthopedic rehabilitation services. They treat each patient's problem individually through an evaluation to design a specific treatment plan with the overall goal of restoring function and enhancing one's quality of life.

If your elbow pain is keeping you from living an active life, we're proud to offer access to an orthopedic specialist whenever you need it. Schedule an appointment online or call our Bristol Regional Medical Center, Elizabethton, or Johnson City location for a consultation with one of our expert elbow surgeons to diagnose and treat your elbow issue.

For those acute elbow injuries that can't wait, we also offer the following ways to be seen today: 

• Walk into one of our Orthopedic Urgent Care clinics at our Bristol Regional Medical Center or Johnson City office. No appointment needed.
• To be seen by a doctor on the same day, call your desired office.
• Chat with an orthopedic specialist 24/7, 365 days a year with our free OrthoCareNow service.