I am awoken 3-5 times in the night because my right arm is locked up at the elbow with roughly a 4 in the pain scale. to ease the pain i have to force my elbow joint to open which sounds like splitting kindling and some pain. noise drives wife crzy?

Have you used your elbow a lot in your occupation? You probably have a condition called osteochondritis dissecans (OCD). You need to have an elbow X-ray done at the least and a referral to see an orthopedist. Physical therapy may be helpful for this condition.

You are well past due having your elbow examined by an Orthopedic Surgeon or a Rheumatologist. Someone has to actually virtually look inside your joint to determine what's wrong.Only then can appropriate treatment be determined. For the sake of your wife's sanity, seek medical treatment.