VHI’s Dr Bernadette Carr: Bursitis and Tinnitus

Since he started college this term, my 19-year-old son has been complaining of pain in his elbow. He tends to lean on his elbows and is probably doing that in lectures and when studying. The left elbow does look inflamed.

It is possible that your son has an inflammation (bursitis) of the olecranon which is a bone at the top of ulna (one of the bones in the forearm). The olecranon is the bony part of the elbow that you lean on.

The bursa, which is a small fluid filled sack that acts as a cushion between the tendons and the bones, becomes inflamed often due to repetitive movement (s). As students tend to lean on their elbows, an inflammation in this joint is known as student’s elbow. This is more common in males.