ELBOW PAIN - ulnar collateral ligament sprain
Another common cause of chronic elbow pain is an ulnar collateral ligament sprain. This ligament supports the inside of the elbow. It is responsible for holding the ulnar bone to the distal end of the humerus. In other words it enables the arm to flex, pivoting at the elbow. A patient's complaint of pain on the inside of the elbow will cause a physician to examine the lateral epicondyle's "sister," the medial epicondyle and not look for the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) sprain. For example, the diagnosing of the golfer's elbow is often made without examining the ulnar collateral ligament. 

A sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament refers pain to the little finger and ring finger. This same pain and numbness distribution is seen with aggravating the ulnar nerve. The ulnar nerve lies behind the elbow and is the reason why hitting your funny bone causes pain. Because most physicians are not familiar with the referral pattern of ligaments, patients with elbow pain and/or numbness into the little finger and ring finger are diagnosed with an ulnar nerve problem, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. A more common reason is ligament laxity in the cervicalvertebrae 6 and 7 or in the ulnar collateral ligament, not a pinched ulnar nerve. 

A patient given the opinion that surgery on the ulnar nerve is needed for a pain complaint should obtain a second opinion from a Prolotherapy doctor who is competent in the treatment of Prolotherapy. Surgery should be performed only after all conservative options, including Prolotherapy, have been attempted. Prolotherapy to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) is the most successful way to eliminate medial elbow pain. 

Golfer's elbow or tennis elbow causes the elbow pain because the muscles that attach to these areas are attempting to repair themselves, causing inflammation. The treatment should not be to "anti-inflame," as is the case with cortisone or with anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen. The correct treatment is to strengthen the muscle attachments which are inflamed due to the body's attempt to strengthen the area. Prolotherapy to strengthen these muscle attachments is 'very effective in eliminating chronic elbow pain.