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    Tennis Elbow & Elbow Pain Treatment Without Surgery in Marbella

    Elbow pain - whether from tennis elbow, golfer's elbow or a more complex joint condition - can make everyday tasks surprisingly difficult, from lifting a cup of coffee to typing at a keyboard. The elbow relies on a complex system of tendons, ligaments and nerves that are highly susceptible to overuse injury and chronic degeneration. Because grip loading affects both the elbow and the wrist, in some cases elbow pain may occur alongside hand and wrist pain.

    At CellOrtho Marbella, we offer non-surgical orthobiologic treatments for elbow pain conditions. Non-surgical options such as PRP therapy may be considered for tennis elbow and golfer's elbow after individual assessment. PRP should not be presented as a proven way to prevent surgery or as a substitute for surgery when indicated.

    Doctor examining patient's elbow at CellOrtho Marbella clinic

    Tennis Elbow

    Lateral Epicondylitis

    Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is caused by overuse and degeneration of the tendons attaching the forearm muscles to the outer elbow. It produces pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow, often worsening with gripping, lifting or wrist extension. Despite its name, it commonly affects people who perform repetitive manual tasks - not just tennis players.

    PRP therapy has been studied for tennis elbow. It uses concentrated platelets and growth factors from the patient's own blood, and evidence comparing it with cortisone injections is mixed; suitability and expected benefit depend on individual assessment.

    Golfer's Elbow

    Medial Epicondylitis

    Golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis) affects the tendons on the inner side of the elbow, causing pain, weakness and tenderness when gripping, twisting or flexing the wrist. It is common in manual labourers, golfers, climbers and racquet sports players. It involves chronic tendon degeneration. PRP therapy, using concentrated platelets and growth factors, may be considered for golfer's elbow after assessment; the evidence base for golfer's elbow is separate from tennis elbow and should not be assumed to be the same.

    Elbow Arthritis

    Osteoarthritis & Rheumatoid Arthritis

    Degeneration or chronic inflammation in the elbow joint causes stiffness, swelling and difficulty fully extending or bending the arm. Elbow arthritis may develop from previous injuries, prolonged overuse or underlying inflammatory conditions. Elbow arthritis may develop from previous injuries, prolonged overuse or underlying inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, which requires appropriate rheumatological management. Orthobiologic treatments such as PRP may be considered for osteoarthritis after individual assessment; PRP is not a substitute for appropriate management of rheumatoid arthritis.

    Olecranon Bursitis

    Elbow Bursitis

    Olecranon bursitis involves swelling of the bursa at the tip of the elbow, creating visible swelling and localised tenderness. It can result from prolonged pressure on the elbow, trauma or underlying inflammatory conditions. Bursitis can occasionally become infected, which requires prompt medical assessment rather than PRP treatment. For non-infected cases, PRP therapy may be considered after assessment, though evidence for this use is limited.

    Ligament Sprains

    UCL & Lateral Ligament Injuries

    Sprains or partial tears of the elbow ligaments - including the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) - cause instability, pain and difficulty carrying or gripping objects. These injuries are common in throwing athletes and following acute trauma. PRP therapy delivers concentrated growth factors from the patient's own blood; whether this improves ligament healing is not well established, and suitability depends on individual assessment.

    Tennis Elbow Treatment Without Surgery

    Tennis elbow is one of the most common elbow conditions we treat at CellOrtho Marbella. Non-surgical regenerative treatment may be considered after individual assessment.

    Conventional treatment for tennis elbow typically involves rest, physiotherapy and cortisone injections, which can provide effective anti-inflammatory relief. PRP therapy works differently: it involves injecting concentrated growth factors from the patient's own blood into the area around the damaged tendon. Whether this leads to structural tendon repair is not established, and suitability depends on individual assessment.

    Clinical studies comparing PRP to cortisone for lateral epicondylitis have produced mixed results. A Cochrane review of autologous blood and PRP injections for lateral elbow pain found the overall evidence to be uncertain, and outcomes should be discussed individually with your clinician.

    Golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis) is a separate condition to tennis elbow, with its own evidence base. PRP therapy may be considered for golfer's elbow after individual assessment.

    Elbow Pain Treatment at CellOrtho Marbella

    CellOrtho treats elbow pain patients from across Europe at our clinic in Nueva Andalucía, Marbella. We regularly see patients from the UK, Scandinavia, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands who have been living with persistent tennis elbow or golfer's elbow for months or years - often having tried physiotherapy and cortisone injections without lasting relief.

    All treatments are performed by Dr. Arvin Yarollahi, a specialist in orthopaedics, sports medicine and regenerative medicine, licensed in Sweden, the United Kingdom and Spain.

    We offer a free video consultation so you can discuss your elbow condition with our medical team before committing to travel or treatment.

    Our Treatment Options

    At CellOrtho Marbella, we offer a non-surgical regenerative treatment option that may be considered as part of your treatment plan following individual assessment.

    PRP Therapy (Platelet Rich Plasma)

    Uses concentrated platelets and growth factors from your own blood, prepared from a blood sample and injected into the affected area. May be considered for tennis elbow and golfer's elbow after individual assessment; evidence and suitability vary by diagnosis.

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about this treatment

    Non-surgical options may be considered after assessment. PRP therapy uses concentrated growth factors from the patient's own blood and has been studied for tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), but the evidence comparing it with cortisone injections is mixed, and suitability depends on individual assessment.

    PRP therapy may be considered for golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis) after assessment. The evidence for golfer's elbow is separate from tennis elbow, and it should not be assumed that PRP outperforms cortisone injections; suitability and expected benefit depend on individual diagnosis.

    The evidence comparing PRP with cortisone injections for tennis elbow is mixed. Cortisone can provide effective short-term anti-inflammatory relief, while PRP is being studied as an alternative approach. Your clinician can discuss which option, if either, is appropriate for your case.

    Most patients with tennis elbow require between 1 and 3 PRP sessions. Many patients experience significant improvement after a single session. Your treating physician will recommend an appropriate protocol following a full assessment of your condition.

    Response and timing vary by diagnosis and individual. Improvement, if it occurs, may develop over weeks or months; some patients do not experience meaningful benefit. Your clinician will discuss expectations and follow-up.

    We treat a range of elbow conditions including tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis), elbow arthritis, olecranon bursitis and elbow ligament injuries. All conditions are assessed individually and treated with a personalised orthobiologic protocol.

    Yes. CellOrtho regularly treats patients from across Europe for elbow conditions, particularly tennis elbow and golfer's elbow. We offer a free video consultation so you can discuss your case with our medical team before travelling to Marbella.

    Other conditions we treat: Back Pain · Neck Pain · Shoulder Pain · Hand & Wrist Pain · Hip Pain · Knee Pain · Foot & Ankle Pain

    Ready to Explore Your Options?

    Book a free video consultation with our specialist team to discuss your condition and find the right treatment plan for you.

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    Medically reviewed by Dr. Arvin Yarollahi, Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Specialist. Last reviewed .