A swollen elbow and muscular pain would indicate that you have probably sprained a muscle called the brachioradialis. This muscle starts at the elbow and goes on to wrap over the arm and wrist. The other possibility is that you have damaged the tendon in the elbow. Tendonitis is more painful than a muscular strain to deal with, and both conditions require that you get adequate rest and relax the entire joint. If necessary, you should also get your arm in to a sling for a few days. The reason why your elbow has swollen up is a process in the body called inflammation. Inflammation is a mechanism initiated by the immune system, in response to cell damage in the body. The typical signs of inflammation are swelling and increased blood flow. This increased blood flow is crucial to the repair process as well as to ward off infections if any – though in your case there would be none.
The way to deal with this condition is not to put any pressure on your muscles or tendon and this means that you should not lift any heavy weights and keep movement to an absolute minimum. Tendons and muscles work together by the muscles connection to the tendons, which are in turn connected to the bone. Sometimes, especially during a muscular spasm, the muscle can pull on the tendon so much that the tendon actually gets damage. The very same mechanism happens when you lift a heavy load incorrectly.
The best way to heal this wound is to put your arm in a sling. Tie a sling by taking a long piece of cloth and tying so that it forms a loop. Place one end around your neck and the rest of it should allow your entire arm to rest in it. For some pain relief, you should apply a cold compress to the area to relieve the inflammation. Use a cloth that is filled up with ice and run it along the areas that give you pain. A pain-relieving herb that you should take during this time is ginger. Ginger has the ability to relieve inflammations and also reduce fever. You can increase your dietary intake through food or by drinking some ginger ale; however, many of the active chemicals are lost after processing so the best way to have it is to take it along with your tea by adding dried ginger flakes to it.