Elbow Injury - possible infection? Need help ASAP!

This past Saturday I hit my elbow really hard and it was just a normal case of hitting your "funny bone". Then yesterday when it was snowy and slippery outside I slipped (my balance has been HORRIBLE since I suffered a concussion in late January) and caught myself on my left elbow and right hand, as I was trying to keep myself from getting wet because I was walking into work. For an idea of how hard I hit it, I had a long sleeve shirt on and a jacket and still managed to get a small cut on my elbow. It was sore yesterday but I didn't think much of it since I fell pretty hard. The this morning, it hurt SEVERELY and has just been getting worse. Once I got home I looked in the mirror and it's bruising, red, swollen and hot to the touch - not to mention even my clothes grazing it makes me want to scream. I can move it but it hurts very bad, and totally flexing my arm or straightening it out is completely out of the question. I am also running a low-grade fever after taking some Tylenol.

I just want to know if this is something that needs to get checked out or if it's okay to just let it get better on my own. I've tried heat, ice, tylenol, etc. and nothing seems to help for very long. I'm just concerned about the redness, hotness to the touch & low-grade fever because those are signs of infection. If someone could please help me ASAP it'd be greatly appreciated

[Dar584]

I would get it checked out right away.  The rednness warmth and low grade fever definately could be an infection.  Also sometimes when you break a bone you can run a low grade fever.  Either way it is something that should be checked out the sooner the better.
Good luck and keep us posted!

[susancm]

Dar584 is right on the money; ASAP!!
I have balance problems since I had a major stroke....., falling, breaking, surgeries and unfortunately infections were my life for over a year.  PLEASE GET CHECKED!!