Chapel Hill, NC

Elbow Pain
Treatment

Whether it's from sports, work, or everyday activities-elbow pain can be debilitating. Our regenerative treatments can heal the underlying cause, not just mask the pain.

Elbow Conditions We Treat

The elbow is essential for gripping, lifting, and carrying. We treat the most common causes of elbow pain with regenerative medicine.

Understanding Elbow Tendinopathy

Tennis Elbow (Lateral)

Pain on the outside of the elbow. Despite the name, only 5% of cases are actually from playing tennis.

Common Causes:

  • • Computer mouse use
  • • Plumbing, painting, carpentry
  • • Repetitive gripping
  • • Racquet sports

Golfer's Elbow (Medial)

Pain on the inside of the elbow. Affects the forearm flexor tendons.

Common Causes:

  • • Golf and throwing sports
  • • Weight training
  • • Forceful finger movements
  • • Chopping, hammering

Why Traditional Treatments Often Fail

Tennis elbow and golfer's elbow are degenerative conditions, not inflammatory ones. That's why cortisone shots often provide only temporary relief and can actually weaken the tendon over time.

PRP therapy addresses the root cause by stimulating your body's natural healing process, promoting actual tissue repair rather than just reducing symptoms.

Regenerative Treatment Options

Our treatments heal damaged tendons and cartilage for lasting relief.

Frequently Asked Questions

PRP is one of the most studied regenerative treatments for tennis elbow, with multiple clinical trials showing significant improvement in pain and function. Most patients see 70-80% improvement, and the results are long-lasting because PRP actually heals the damaged tendon tissue.

You can usually return to light activities within a few days. Gradual return to normal activities is typically 2-4 weeks, with full return to sports or heavy work at 6-8 weeks. Maximum improvement often takes 3-6 months as the tissue heals.

Tennis elbow and golfer's elbow are primarily degenerative, not inflammatory conditions. Cortisone is an anti-inflammatory, so it may provide short-term relief but doesn't address the underlying tendon degeneration. Worse, repeated cortisone injections can actually weaken the tendon. PRP works differently-it promotes actual tissue healing.

Not always. For typical tennis or golfer's elbow, clinical examination and ultrasound are usually sufficient. We use ultrasound to guide injections precisely to the affected area. MRI may be recommended if we suspect other problems like ligament tears or nerve compression.

Stop Living with Elbow Pain

Whether you've tried cortisone, physical therapy, or bracing-PRP offers a different approach that actually heals the damaged tissue.