Pain and inflammation of the elbow

Dear Ask The Doctor: Hi, a few weeks back I woke up with a massive right elbow. I came to the conclusion that it was bursitis. I didn't go to a doctor, rather iced it and used it minimal amounts. I went bowling the other night and became instantly inflammed. I woke up this morning, with tightness in my right bicep, only to find that it seemed as though i had done right arm curls the night before. My arm seems larger and more defined than my left. Is it possible for this fluid to have spread into my bicep region, and is this an issue I should be concerned with? I am struggling for money, so a doctor's visit has been kind of not what I want to ante up for. What should I do?

Dear Andrew: You described an overnight inflammation taking place in your right elbow, without any history of trauma in the area, which got worse when you did some bowling and also now is associated with symptoms in your right biceps. When an inflammation occurs in the elbow without antecedent of trauma, it is strongly recommended that you be evaluated by a physician to rule out more serious causes of pain and inflammation than bursitis in that joint and also a bicipital tendon injury. By now, try to keep it in relative rest, avoid activities that trigger pain, use local heat and anti inflammatory medication (“Motrin”, or “Aleve”). But keep in mind that if those symptoms persist, then you will have to go to the doctor for an evaluation.