Elbow Pain — The Cause May Be in Your Neck

When the elbow hurts, most people assume the problem is in the elbow itself. But if local elbow treatment doesn't help much, or if the pain persists without any clear injury, the cause may need to be sought in the neck (cervical spine).

What is referred pain?

Referred pain is the phenomenon of feeling pain in a different location from where the actual problem lies. When a nerve in the cervical spine is compressed or irritated, pain can appear in the elbow region supplied by that nerve. It is similar to a problem in a distant electrical wire affecting a lamp far away.

Features of elbow pain originating from the neck

• Pain develops without any specific injury or overuse
• Elbow-focused treatment does not bring much improvement
• Moving the neck changes the elbow pain
• Discomfort is felt not only in the elbow but also in the shoulder or hand
• A pattern in which morning neck stiffness coincides with worsened elbow pain

Common causes

• Cervical disc herniation — the C5–6 and C6–7 discs in particular tend to refer pain to the elbow
• Cervical degenerative changes — bone spurs on the cervical vertebrae narrow the neural foramen and irritate the nerves
• Myofascial pain syndrome — trigger points in the neck and shoulder muscles refer pain to the elbow

Accurate diagnosis is essential

If elbow pain persists for more than 3 weeks and does not respond to standard treatment, a comprehensive evaluation that includes the cervical spine — not only the elbow — is needed. If the cause lies in the cervical spine, the neck must be treated together for the elbow pain to resolve at its root. Korean medicine approaches such complex pain patterns from the perspective of the connectivity between meridians and the musculoskeletal system.