Symptoms, Causes & Treatment of Arm Pain
Causes of Arm pain
What can cause chronic arm pain and how can you find relief? The answer depends on the underlying condition. Causes of severe arm pain can include conditions, such as:
- Exercise or overuse (muscle aches)
- Repetitive joint use (bursitis or joint inflammation)
- Bone fractures
- Joint dislocations
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Muscle, ligament or tendon strains (tendinitis) or sprains
- Fibromyalgia
- Skeletal structure irregularities
- Arthritis
- Cardiac disorders or heart attack (angina)
- Angina pectoris that radiates to the arm
- Nerve damage
- Spine conditions such as cervical disk herniation
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Osteoporosis
- Infection
- Carpel tunnel syndrome
- Rotator cuff injury
- Other underlying conditions
It is important that you find out what causes your arms to ache, as there are many reasons for arm pain. At The Total Pain Clinic, we can help diagnose the cause to help you find relief.
Arm pain symptoms and diagnosis
- Pain in the wrist, elbow or shoulder
- Arm weakness
- Pain in one or both arms
- Upper arm pain
- Sudden arm pain in the right arm
- Redness or discoloration of the skin on the arm
- Swelling of the arm, wrist, or elbow
- Stiffness in the joints
- Arm skin that is warm to the touch
- Itching or throbbing skin
- Pain that worsens when exercising
- Numbness or tingling
- Muscle pain / muscle aches
- Tenderness
- Reduced range of motion
- Muscle cramps / sore arm
How to treat Arm pain
How can you ease the discomfort of arm pain symptoms? Your treatment options depend on the underlying cause and severity of your arm pain.
Treatment may start with conservative therapies, such as over-the-counter aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen. These nonprescription medications can be effective for certain types of arm pain when taken according to instructions. You may also consider home care such as drinking plenty of water to reduce muscle cramps. Stretching and massage can help. You may also try using heating or cold packs, taking warm baths or showers, and resting your arms. Elevate your arm(s) when you lie down. Compression bandaging can help reduce swelling.
The pain management specialists at The Total Pain Clinic may also recommend the following interventional pain therapies to reduce your arm pain:
- Prescription medications / medication management
- Topical agents (creams)
- Injections such as steroid medications
- Spinal Cord Stimulator
- Physical therapy (can include exercises, heat and cold therapy, and electrical nerve stimulation-TENS unit)
- Alternative treatments such as acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments and/or massage
Some of the interventional medical therapies we provide at The Total Pain Clinic include:
Our pain specialists can prescribe and regulate medication that you use to help control your pain. The pain management specialists will provide you with the knowledge you need to take your mediations properly.
The Total Pain Clinic takes a conservative approach with medication management. We try to limit prescription medications to help avoid dependence
The Total Pain Clinic takes a conservative approach with medication management. We try to limit prescription medications to help avoid dependence.
One option for treating pain is injection of a steroid that can help reduce pain and inflammation. This can be very effective for arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
A nerve block is an injection therapy that reduces pain caused by nerves. This can help treat arm pain, radicular pain and/or peripheral neuropathy. This procedure injects a combination of local anesthetic agents around the peripheral nerve branches for optimal pain relief. Peripheral nerve blocks provide relief that lasts from a few weeks to a few months, depending upon the patient’s condition.
Spinal cord stimulation is an FDA-approved, minimally invasive procedure that requires the implantation of a nerve stimulation device. This treatment delivers low-voltage electrical currents to areas of the spine, ultimately reducing pain signals caused by chronic pain in the arm(s). Patients living with chronic pain, who have not responded to conservative treatments for at least six months, may be candidates for this procedure. A trial device is implanted before a permanent device is considered.
Contact The Total Pain Clinic today to learn more about how we can help you effectively manage your Arm pain.
When further arm pain treatment is required
Based on the underlying condition, further treatments may be required. If there is something that can be addressed by another type of specialist, we will refer you to the appropriate specialty doctor.