The most common nonarticular syndromes of the elbow include epicondylitis, olecranon bursitis, and ulnar nerve entrapment.
Patients typically complain of elbow and forearm pain with activity.
Local infiltration of glucocorticoids and lidocaine often results in more rapid improvement. When infection is suspected, prompt aspiration and culture of the fluid are mandatory. Antibiotics should be started empirically, and the bursa should be reaspirated frequently until the fluid no longer reaccumulates and cultures become negative. Olecranon bursitis may also be part of rheumatoid arthritis or gout, usually in a patient in whom a diagnosis has already been made. On occasion, an initial diagnosis of gout is made by examination of bursal fluid for urate crystals.