For the last couple of weeks , maybe a month or two My elbow has been painfull,?

It sounds like tennis elbow which can have nothing to do with playing tennis. It's also known as shooter's elbow and archer's elbow.

Posh name lateral epicondylitis.

It most often happens when you have repeatedly overused your arm. This overuse causes inflammation or tiny tears in the tendon. This may become worse if you continue doing the activity that triggered the pain and may cause a more serious tear or rupture your tendon.

The main symptom is pain and tenderness on the outside of your elbow and sometimes in the muscles on top of your forearm. Tennis elbow usually affects the arm of your dominant hand - the arm you use the most. Symptoms usually develop gradually. The pain can get worse when you move your wrist or if you repeat the activity that triggered the pain and also be more painful when you grip or twist something, such as turning a door handle

Self help includes trying to change any activity that makes it worse, apply cold compresses when you can.

You can wear strapping or a splint around your forearm and elbow to help restrict the movement of your tendon and relieve the strain. Some people find that this helps, although there is no evidence to show how well it works. Don't wear any strapping or a splint continuously - you should leave it off at night time.

If the problem developed as a result of an activity at work, contact your employer's occupational health advisers, if available, or speak with your employer. They can give advice on how to change the activity that caused the problem, allowing your arm to heal.

If it doesn't improve consult your doctor.