An occasional painless joint pop, click, or crack is normal and something that everyone experiences from time to time.
However, if you have persistent elbow popping with pain or stiffness, you should contact the orthopedic experts at OrthoNeuro in Columbus, Ohio.
They offer expert diagnosis and personalized treatments to alleviate elbow pain.
What Does It Mean When My Elbow Pops?
In many cases, your elbow pops are harmless and due to cavitation.
You have fluid-filled sacs in your joints. When you change positions suddenly, it changes the pressure and volume, releasing gas bubbles.
Medical professionals don’t know if it’s the formation or collapse of those bubbles that cause cracking or popping sounds.
However, if you have elbow pain, as well as popping, it could be a sign of a more serious issue that might need medical attention.
What Causes Elbow Popping?
Your elbow is a mobile joint, and you use it all the time.
Athletes, people with manual labor jobs, and older people are most likely to experience elbow popping and related discomfort.
Some of the prevalent joint issues that contribute to the popping sound, catching sensations, or general instability, include:
Injury
Elbow injuries such as sprains, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, tendinitis, and bursitis can contribute to uncomfortable elbow popping.
Elbow dislocation or instability is another cause of joint popping or clicking.