What are the treatment options for elbow osteoarthritis?

Elbow osteoarthritis can cause pain with use, stiffness, grinding or difficulty fully bending and straightening the arm. Assessment combines your symptoms, examination and imaging with the demands of work, exercise and daily activities. Physiotherapy can improve movement, strength and load control. A clinician may discuss a cortisone injection when pain limits rehabilitation or activities, after considering your health and medication history. Arthroscopy may remove loose bodies or address selected mechanical problems through small incisions. Elbow replacement is considered when joint damage and symptoms are substantial and other approaches have not provided enough function.

Record which movements trigger pain and whether stiffness is worse after rest or repeated use. Reduce aggravating loads without stopping all movement; your clinician can suggest joint-friendly alternatives. Use prescribed exercises consistently and discuss pain relief before changing medicines. Explore [Physiotherapy](/treatments/physiotherapy-and-rehabilitation/physiotherapy/), [Cortisone Injection](/treatments/non-surgical-orthopedics/cortisone-injection/), [Elbow Arthroscopy](/treatments/sports-and-arthroscopic-surgery/elbow-arthroscopy/) and [Elbow Replacement](/treatments/joint-replacement/elbow-replacement/).

Arrange assessment for persistent pain, increasing stiffness, catching, locking or declining ability to use the arm. Seek urgent care for a hot, red, markedly swollen elbow, fever, sudden severe pain after an injury, new weakness or numbness, or a hand that becomes pale or cold. More background is available in [Elbow Osteoarthritis](/conditions/elbow-osteoarthritis/).

Ask what the examination and images show, which activities are safe, whether an injection is suitable, and what improvement therapy should target. If surgery is discussed, ask what problem it addresses, how recovery affects work and lifting, and which warning signs require review.