Elbow Bursitis Injection Guidelines

Local Anesthetic Component

• The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using 1-2 mL of 1% lidocaine as the local anesthetic for elbow bursitis injection, which provides immediate pain relief during and shortly after the procedure 1
• The maximum safe dose of lidocaine with epinephrine is 7 mg/kg and without epinephrine is 4.5 mg/kg in adults, with the typical dose for elbow bursitis injection being well below this threshold 2, 3
• Buffering lidocaine with bicarbonate, warming it before injection, and injecting slowly with a small-gauge needle can minimize injection pain 5
• Lidocaine provides immediate pain relief during and shortly after the injection procedure, with a typical dose of 10-20 mg being used for elbow bursitis injection 1, 4

Injection Technique

• Aspirate before injecting to ensure the needle is not in a blood vessel, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics 3

Potential Adverse Effects and Precautions

• Local anesthetic agents, such as lidocaine, are cardiac depressants and may cause central nervous system excitation or depression at high doses, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics 3