Question
Hi, I hope I'm in the right place to try and gain some advice as to what might be wrong with my joints.
Basically, the bone in my right elbow (the bone that sticks out of the side) is sticking out more than the other, it's not very noticeable but there is a slight difference compared with my other. I have only just noticed this but for a long time I have been experiencing my elbow locking. A common way it would lock is when I have picked my cat up, when I go to put her down, my elbow locks into one place and I have to slowly stretch my arm out to unlock it, then I hear a loud click and it's fine again. I don't experience any pain, nor do I feel pain when the elbow locks. It doesn't really bother me but I really want to find out what it is and does it sound like it could be serious?
One other thing my elbow does is when I put pressure on my hand (like doing a push up) a twinge in the same elbow will occur, this bothers me because it doesn't feel nice, not in a painful way, it's just uncomfortable.
Thanks for reading this and I hope to hear from you soon.

Answer

Lateral and medial epi  

Elbow pain   Thanks for your question.

I can't diagnose your condition over the Internet, but I can provide you with some general information.

It is first important to determine if you have suffered a past traumatic event that might account for the bony abnormality that you describe. For example, a "gunstock deformity" is a decrease in the carrying angle of the elbow, called the varus angle, and is often the result of a childhood trauma such as a supracondylar fracture, in which the distal end of the humerus (the part of the arm bone nearest to the elbow) is subject to either malunion or growth retardation at the growth plate of the bone. Less commonly, a condition known as cubitus valgus may also occur as a result of prior trauma. In cubitus valgus, the carrying angle is abnormal if the forearm stands out further than the normal 5 to 15 degrees. This increased angulation can be caused by damage to the growth plate as a result of an epicondylar fracture, which may also caused a delayed nerve palsy to the ulnar nerve (the so-called "funny bone").

Other possible causes of your elbow problems might include lateral epicondylitis ("tennis elbow"), medial epicondylitis ("golfer's elbow"), olecranon bursitis, radiohumeral bursitis, flexor-pronator aponeurosis tendinitis, myofascial trigger points of the forearm and wrist extensor or flexor muscle tendons at their attachment points in the elbow, tearing of the annular ligament of the elbow, a neuroma of the ulnar nerve in the elbow, and peripheral nerve entrapment.

Pathology of the wrist, shoulder, and the cervical spine can also refer symptoms to the elbow.

As you can see, there are a multitude of potential causes of your problem. You do need to undergo proper evaluation by a practitioner who is trained and experienced in musculoskeletal diagnosis. He or she needs to take a thorough case history, perform a thorough physical examination, and possibly obtain diagnostic imaging. I would recommend seeking a doctor of chiropractic who was trained at the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic, a doctor of osteopathy, a physical therapist, a massage therapist, an acupuncturist, or you might see your primary care physician for an initial work-up.  

I hope this helps to answer your question.