Broken Elbow: A broken elbow injury can be caused by a variety of factors. Falls, trauma, direct blow to the elbow, or direct injury to the elbow, wrist, hand, or shoulder. Symptoms of a broken elbow are swelling, deformity, bruising, discoloration, difficulty moving the elbow, numbness, cuts, wounds, and severe pain. Treatment for a broken elbow depends on the type of fracture.