You should seek medical treatment when you sustain injuries to the elbow that results in severe pain and swelling. Often, seeking traditional forms of treatment without prior evaluation with x-rays to exclude fractures can lead to long term damage of the elbow joint, pain and stiffness.
If you experience spontaneous onset of elbow pain without any prior history of trauma, you should seek medical advice to rule out any serious elbow disease, as delays in treatment may lead to a poorer outcome.
