A soft lump on the point of the elbow is usually olecranon bursitis and settles in 2 to 6 weeks once you stop leaning on it. Hot, red, painful, or a break in the skin means infection until proven otherwise: get seen today.
After a simple elbow dislocation, most people move the elbow within a week, return to light use around 6 weeks and near full function by 3 months. The real risk is stiffness: weeks in a sling cost range you don’t get back.
Cubital tunnel syndrome is the ulnar nerve squeezed at the inner elbow, causing ring and little finger tingling. Mild cases settle in 6 weeks to 3 months with night positioning and habit changes; weakness or wasting needs a nerve test and surgical opinion soon.
Golfer’s elbow is tendon overload at the inner elbow, and most cases settle within 6 to 12 months with a 3 to 6 month loading program. Inner elbow pain with ring and little finger tingling means the ulnar nerve is involved and needs checking.
Tennis elbow is tendon degeneration at the outer elbow, and most cases settle within 12 months. A 3 to 6 month graded loading program, not rest or injections, is what rebuilds the tendon and decides how fast you get there.