Pain Symptom
Elbow and Forearm Pain
By Dr. Anthony J. Gordon, Doctor of Acupuncture | Last reviewed September 2026
Your forearm aches and tightens after typing, gripping tools, carrying bags or training. The elbow may be tender, and sometimes the forearm burns or tingles. The forearm is packed with muscles that control your wrist and fingers, and they overload easily, especially when grip-heavy tasks are repeated day after day.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (516) 597-5400. Most new patients are seen within one to two weeks.
Overview
Understanding Elbow and Forearm Pain
The forearm contains the muscles that bend and straighten the wrist and fingers and rotate the forearm. They attach at the elbow. Repetitive gripping, typing, mouse use, tool work, climbing, racquet sports and lifting load these muscles all day.
Overloaded forearm muscles develop trigger points that cause aching, tightness and weakness in the forearm and elbow. The tendons at the elbow can become irritated, leading to tennis or golfer's elbow. Nerves also run through the forearm muscles. The radial nerve can be compressed in the upper forearm, called radial tunnel syndrome, causing deep aching, and the median and ulnar nerves can cause tingling. Neck problems can also refer pain here.
Dr. Gordon treats the forearm muscles, elbow tendons and nerve pathways, and looks at the neck and shoulder for contributing factors.
Elbow and Forearm Pain at a Glance
Also called
Forearm muscle pain
Common causes
Repetitive gripping, typing, tool use, climbing, racquet sports, lifting
Possible sources
Forearm trigger points, elbow tendon irritation, nerve compression, neck referral
Nerve involvement
Radial tunnel, median and ulnar nerve irritation
Often seen with
Tennis or golfer's elbow, wrist pain, neck pain
The Gap in Care
What Tests Check, and What They Can Miss
Forearm pain is often treated as tendonitis alone. Trigger points and nerve compression in the forearm are frequently missed.
What routine testing is looking for
- Tendon tears
- Fractures
- Nerve damage on testing
- Arthritis
What often keeps symptoms going
- Forearm extensor and flexor trigger points
- Radial tunnel nerve compression
- Median or ulnar nerve irritation
- Neck referral to the forearm
- Workstation and grip habits
These are found with hands-on, nerve and neck assessment.
Signs & Symptoms
Does This Sound Like You?
Symptoms vary from person to person. These are the patterns Dr. Gordon sees most often.
Forearm aching
Aching in the forearm muscles.
Tightness after gripping
Tightness after typing, tools or training.
Elbow tenderness
Tender spots around the elbow.
Weak grip
Reduced grip strength.
Burning or tingling
Burning or tingling in the forearm or hand.
Pain turning the forearm
Pain turning a doorknob or screwdriver.
Root Causes
The Four Drivers Dr. Gordon Looks For
Most people have more than one of these in play. Finding which one leads makes treatment more efficient.
Forearm muscle overload
Repetitive gripping creates trigger points in the forearm.
Tendon irritation
Elbow tendons become irritated with overload.
Nerve compression
Radial, median or ulnar nerves can be compressed by tight muscle.
Neck and shoulder
Neck and shoulder problems can refer pain and increase forearm load.
Your First Visit
How Dr. Gordon Evaluates Elbow and Forearm Pain
The initial evaluation runs 60 to 75 minutes. You leave with a clear picture of what is driving your symptoms, a written plan, a realistic timeline, and in most cases your first treatment.
Records and history review
Dr. Gordon reviews your imaging, physician or physical therapy notes, medications and past treatments so he knows what has been ruled out and what has already been tried.
Forearm muscle mapping
Assessment of the extensor and flexor muscle groups.
Nerve testing
Tests for radial, median and ulnar nerve irritation.
Neck and shoulder screen
Dr. Gordon checks for contributions from the neck and shoulder.
Plan and coordination
A clear plan, plus communication with your physician, orthopedist or physical therapist when that helps your care.
When to see a physician first
- Sudden weakness in the arm or hand
- Numbness or tingling that is spreading or getting worse
- A hot, red, swollen joint or fever
- Visible deformity or inability to use the arm after an injury
- Arm pain with chest pain, shortness of breath or sweating
- Loss of grip with dropping objects frequently
If you have any of these, contact your doctor or go to the nearest emergency department.
Bring to your first visit
Records
Recent lab results, imaging reports and specialist notes. These can also be faxed ahead.
Treatment history
A short list of what you have tried and what did or did not help.
Clothing
Something comfortable and loose fitting.
Treatment
How Dr. Gordon Treats It
These are the tools Dr. Gordon uses most often for elbow and forearm pain, chosen from your exam findings.
Primary approach
Orthopedic Dry Needling
Dr. Gordon has used dry needling for more than 18 years. Treatment releases trigger points in the forearm extensors and flexors and the muscles compressing forearm nerves.
See all servicesNerve focus
Neuro-Functional Acupuncture
Electro-acupuncture along forearm nerve pathways to calm burning and tingling.
See all servicesBetween visits
Work Plan & Team Coordination
Grip, workstation and training guidance, coordinated with your physician or hand therapist.
Referring provider? Contact the clinicWhat to Expect
A Typical Recovery Arc
Visits 1 to 3
Find the main driver
Dr. Gordon confirms which muscles and nerves are behind your symptoms and starts calming the most reactive areas. Many people notice early changes between visits.
Visits 4 to 8
Lower the baseline
Day-to-day symptoms ease, flares become shorter and less frequent, and normal routines start to feel more manageable.
Visits 9 to 12 and beyond
Build resilience
Visits are spaced out as improvement holds. You leave with a maintenance and early-flare plan.
Most patients are seen weekly or every other week during active care. Individual results vary with how long symptoms have been present and how reactive they are. Progress is reassessed at every visit.
Not sure how to describe it? Put your pain or discomfort into words before your visit
"I came to Dr. Gordon with so many issues and not much hope of getting better. Just in the short time I've been there, I've had so much less pain and more mobility in both hands and arms. He's very knowledgeable at what he does and you can tell that he really wants to help people feel better."
Jillian Williams, Google Review
Elbow and Forearm Pain Questions
Answers About Elbow and Forearm Pain
Still unsure whether this is the right fit? Reach out before you book and Dr. Gordon will talk through your history with you.
It may be, if pain centers on the outer elbow. Forearm pain can also come from trigger points or nerves.
Compression of the radial nerve in the upper forearm, causing deep aching.
Yes. Typing and mouse use load the forearm muscles all day.
Yes. Neck problems can refer pain and tingling to the forearm.
Many people improve within four to six sessions.
Sometimes a strap or brace helps during activity.
Before You Book
General Questions
The clinic is an out-of-network practice. The initial evaluation is $300 and follow-up visits are $250. After each visit you receive a detailed superbill to submit to your PPO plan for possible reimbursement. FSA and HSA cards are accepted, and the clinic can run a complimentary benefits check before your first appointment. The check is a courtesy, so please confirm your coverage with your plan. See Insurance & Fees for details. See Insurance & Fees for details.
The first evaluation is 60 to 75 minutes and usually includes treatment. Follow-up visits run 45 to 60 minutes.
Yes. Call (516) 597-5400 or send a message through the contact page. This is especially helpful if your case is complex and you want to understand the approach before committing to a full evaluation.
1508 Union Turnpike, Suite 133, North New Hyde Park, NY 11040, with free parking on site. The clinic is an easy drive from Manhasset, Great Neck, Garden City, Lake Success, Floral Park and Mineola. Early morning, evening and weekend hours are available.
Most people feel a quick muscle twitch or a deep ache that lasts a few seconds. That twitch is a normal sign the trigger point is releasing. Mild soreness for 24 to 48 hours afterward, similar to a hard workout, is common. Depth, angle and stimulation are adjusted to your comfort.
Both use the same fine, sterile, single-use needles. Dry needling targets specific trigger points and tight bands in muscle based on your exam. Neuro-functional acupuncture targets nerve pathways, often with gentle electrical stimulation, to calm nerve sensitivity. For elbow and forearm pain, Dr. Gordon commonly uses both.
When performed by a trained, licensed provider with detailed knowledge of anatomy, it has a strong safety record. Tell Dr. Gordon if you take blood thinners, have a bleeding disorder, are pregnant or have a weakened immune system so he can plan accordingly.
About Dr. Anthony J. Gordon
Dr. Anthony J. Gordon is a Doctor of Acupuncture licensed in New York and board certified. He holds ASE certification in intrapelvic and extrapelvic dry needling, along with advanced certifications in Functional Dry Needling and Neuro-Functional Acupuncture. With more than 18 years of clinical experience and over 3,000 complex cases treated, he focuses on pelvic, spinal and orthopedic conditions that have not responded to standard care, and works closely with each patient's physicians and physical therapists.
Read Dr. Gordon's full bioBook an Evaluation for Elbow and Forearm Pain
Book a full evaluation with Dr. Gordon and find the source of your forearm pain.
Early morning, evening and weekend appointments available. Free on-site parking.
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