Elbow pain treatment in Poole

Private elbow pain treatment at The Harbour Hospital in Poole

Elbow pain can affect you from properly carrying out many daily activities, from lifting and gripping, to typing or driving. Whether your symptoms have developed suddenly after an injury, or gradually with no clear cause, elbow pain can dramatically impact your comfort, mobility, and overall quality of life. 

At The Harbour Hospital, you can access private elbow pain treatment in Poole, with timely specialist assessment, accurate diagnosis with an expert, and personalised care in a calm and supportive environment.  

Our aim is to help you reduce your pain, restore your movement, and help you return to your usual activities with confidence. 

What kind of specialists treats elbow pain?

Elbow pain is typically assessed and treated by a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, a specialist in conditions affecting the bones, joints, muscles, and tendons. 

Orthopaedic consultants have expertise in diagnosing a wide range of elbow conditions, including tendon injuries such as tennis elbow, ligament problems, joint inflammation, and structural issues. They can recommend both non-surgical and surgical treatment options depending on the cause and severity of your symptoms.  

In many cases, your care may also involve a wider multidisciplinary team. This can include physiotherapists, who support your rehabilitation and recovery from elbow pain through targeted exercises, and in some cases sports medicine specialists, or pain management consultants, if your symptoms are more complex or long-standing. 

At Circle Health Group, you can choose from our network of orthopaedic consultants to access the highest standards of care for elbow pain.  

How much does elbow pain treatment cost at The Harbour Hospital?

The cost of a private elbow pain appointment depends on the type of consultation and whether any investigations or follow-up care are required. 

You can choose to fund your treatment through self-pay (paying for yourself) or use private health insurance. We work with most major providers, and our friendly advisory team can help guide you through using your cover. 

Our flexible payment options help you spread the cost of your payment across a time period that suits you. We offer fixed-term monthly payment plans over one to five years with no deposit required. If you decide to pay over 10 months, you will pay interest-free. If you are paying for a longer period, you will pay 9.9% APR. 

What type of elbow pain do we treat?

Elbow pain can present in different ways depending on the underlying cause. You may notice pain on the inside or outside of your elbow, as well as stiffness, weakness, or discomfort that worsens with certain movements.  

At The Harbour Hospital, we treat conditions such as tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) and golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis), which are typically linked to overuse or repetitive strain. These conditions often develop gradually and can make everyday activities like carrying shopping, using tools or typing increasingly uncomfortable. 

Elbow pain can also arise from inflammation and degeneration within the joint, soft tissue injuries, or irritation of nearby nerves. In some cases, you may experience symptoms such as tingling, numbness or pain that radiates down the forearm or into the hand. 

Trauma, including falls or sporting injuries, can lead to more acute symptoms such as swelling, bruising or reduced range of movement. We provide treatment such as medication, steroid injection therapy, physiotherapy, and surgery for elbow pain. 

During your consultation, your consultant will take a detailed medical history and assess how your symptoms affect your daily life. By understanding the location, pattern, and triggers of your pain, they can identify the most likely cause and develop a personalised treatment plan tailored to your needs and goals. 

Diagnostic testing for elbow pain 

Diagnostic tests can help provide a clearer understanding of the cause of your elbow pain and guide your tailored treatment plan. 

X-rays might be used to assess the joint and rule out fractures and structural problems, while ultrasound or MRI scans can provide detailed images of your tendons, ligaments, and soft tissues. 

Not everyone requires imaging.  

Tests are only recommended when clinically appropriate and when results are likely to influence your treatment plan. Any findings are explained clearly so you understand how they relate to your symptoms. 

Steroid injection therapy for elbow pain 

Steroid injection therapy can be an effective treatment option if your elbow pain has not improved with rest, physiotherapy, or medication. It is commonly used to reduce inflammation and relieve pain in conditions such as tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow, particularly when symptoms are persistent or affecting your daily activities. 

A steroid injection contains a corticosteroid medication, often combined with a local anaesthetic. This is injected directly into the affected area of the elbow to target inflammation at its source. By reducing inflammation, the injection can help ease pain, improve movement, and allow you to engage more effectively with rehabilitation exercises. 

The procedure is usually carried out in an outpatient setting and takes only a few minutes. Your consultant will assess the area carefully before administering the injection, sometimes using imaging guidance such as an ultrasound to ensure precision and accuracy. Most patients tolerate the procedure well, and any discomfort is usually brief. 

Relief from a steroid injection can vary. Some people notice improvement within a few days, while for others it may take a little longer. The effects may last for several weeks or months, although this depends on the underlying condition and how your elbow responds to treatment. 

Steroid injections are often used as part of a wider treatment plan rather than a standalone solution. Following the injection, you may be advised to continue with physiotherapy or specific exercises to support recovery and reduce the risk of symptoms returning. 

Physiotherapy for elbow pain

Physiotherapy for elbow pain is a structured approach aimed at reducing your discomfort, restoring your movement, and improving your overall arm function. Tailored exercise is one of the most important parts of physiotherapy for elbow pain, because it directly addresses the specific cause of your symptoms rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach. After assessing factors like your pain level, range of motion, strength, daily activities, and whether the issue involves tendons (such as in tennis or golfer’s elbow), a physiotherapist designs a personalised exercise programme just for you. This usually starts with gentle, low-load movements to maintain mobility and reduce stiffness, such as slow wrist flexion and extension or forearm rotations. As your pain improves, the programme progresses into strengthening exercises, often focusing on controlled, gradual loading of the affected tendons.  

Surgery for elbow pain 

Surgery is usually considered only when non-surgical treatment options have not provided sufficient relief or when there is structural damage to your elbow that requires surgical intervention. This might include cases of persistent tendon damage, joint instability, or conditions that significantly affect your function.  

Common types of elbow surgery include tennis elbow surgery to remove damaged tendon tissue and repair the tendon on the outside of your elbow, golfer’s elbow surgery for similar problems on the inside of your joint, and an elbow arthroscopy.  

Elbow arthroscopy is a keyhole procedure used to treat inflammation, remove damaged bone, and improve your joint movement. It can be used to diagnose and treat several elbow conditions. If you're having an elbow arthroscopy for treatment, your consultant will insert specialist instruments through one or more incisions in your elbow to repair or remove damaged cartilage from around your elbow joint. There are other ways of repairing damage to your joint, but the technique your consultant will use will depend on the reasons you are having surgery. 

In some cases, ligament reconstruction may be required to restore stability after injury, particularly in patients involved in repetitive throwing activities. 

If surgery is recommended, your consultant will explain the procedure, the expected outcome, and your recovery in detail. 

Why choose The Harbour Hospital for elbow pain treatment in Poole?

When you choose to go private with Circle Health Group, you can expect:  

• Flexible appointment times to fit your schedule 
• Bespoke, consultant-led treatment plans tailored to your individual needs  
• Support from the same compassionate clinical team from beginning to end  
• Transparent, fixed-price packages with aftercare included  
• Flexible payment options to help spread the cost of your care 

Going private for healthcare provides faster access to a vast range of treatment options, greater flexibility in choosing specialists, and more personalised care.  

How to book an elbow pain appointment in Poole 

To book a consultation to discuss elbow pain with an orthopaedic consultant near you, use our online booking system, or give us a call and one of our dedicated advisors will help you find an appointment time that suits you.