Arm pain is usually not a sign of a serious problem, especially when it is mild and appears gradually, being in most cases related to changes in muscles or tendons, due to injury or excessive exercise.
To identify the cause of the symptom, it is necessary to observe when the pain in the arm has appeared, its intensity and whether it improves or worsens with rest. If the pain is very severe, occurs suddenly, or is accompanied by other more serious symptoms, such as dizziness or shortness of breath, it is important to go to the hospital or see your doctor.
Here are 10 of the most common causes of arm pain
Signs and symptoms of muscle tension in the arm are localized muscle pain, which usually occurs after a fall, stroke, or exercise in the gym. The area may still become a little swollen, but it is not always noticeable.
What to do: During the first 48 hours, it may be helpful to place a cold compress at the pain site, and after this period it is more appropriate to place a hot compress, for 20 minutes, 1 or 2 times a day. Applying an anti-inflammatory ointment such as diclofenac may also help. Learn more about treating muscle tension.
Arm pain can also be a sign of tendinitis, a situation that mainly affects teachers, servants, painters or people in a profession in which they have to raise their arms several times a day or perform very repetitive movements.
However, tendinitis can also affect people who have muscle building or who have fallen and have hit their shoulder or elbow with the ground, for example. Pain can be located closer to the elbow or shoulder, but it’s also common for it to drift along your arm.
What to do: Placing a cold compress, with crushed ice, is a good option to combat pain. Physical therapy is also a good option for persistent pain, which lasts more than a month. Learn about the main treatment options for tendinitis.
During an anxiety or panic attack, symptoms such as agitation, heart palpitations, chest pain, heat, sweating, shortness of breath and a strange feeling in the arm are possible. In addition, in the event of a panic attack, the person may not be able to leave the house, avoiding contact with other people and preferring to be alone in the room.
What to do: In case of panic attack or anxiety, it is important to try to breathe deeply, stay calm and, if necessary, stay down to feel more protected. See what else you can do to deal with a panic attack.
Pain in the arm closest to the shoulder area may be a sign of rotator cuff injury, which occurs when there is an injury to the structures that help stabilize the shoulder, causing pain, as well as difficulty or weakness in lifting the arm. .
What to do: it is recommended to rest, apply ice and perform physiotherapy sessions, the orthopedist may also indicate the use of anti-inflammatory, such as ketoprofen, to relieve pain or, in cases where no improvement occurs, surgical treatment may be needed. Learn more about the rotator cuff.
When there is severe shoulder pain radiating to the arm, it can be a sign of shoulder dislocation, which occurs when the bone manages to get out of its natural position in the shoulder joint. This type of injury is more common in people who play sports such as swimming, basketball or swimming, but this can also occur after an accident or when a very heavy object is raised incorrectly, for example.
In addition to pain, it is also normal for the person to have a decrease in movements that can be performed with the affected arm.
What to do: It is important to consult a doctor to get your arm back into its natural position. In some cases, the arm may return to its position naturally, and in these cases, to relieve pain, you can take a hot bath and apply an ointment such as diclofenac to the shoulder and arm. Learn how to identify and treat shoulder dislocation.
Osteoarthritis is another of the most common causes of arm pain, especially after age 45, and occurs when performing large movements involving the shoulder or elbow. This type of pain can last a few hours and there may be a feeling of sand in the joint or a creak during movements.
What to do: Osteoarthritis treatment is done with the use of painkillers, which should be recommended by the orthopedist, and physiotherapy sessions to improve joint mobility. Treatment usually takes time and, depending on the case, surgery may be necessary. To better understand what osteoarthritis is and how treatment is performed.
Although rarer, arm pain can also be a sign of a heart attack. Indeed, during a heart attack, it is common for the pain that occurs in the chest to end up radiating to the arm, causing a feeling of heaviness, in addition to tingling, especially in the left arm.
In addition, the infarction is accompanied by other characteristic symptoms such as tightness in the chest, poor digestion and discomfort in the throat. See the top 10 symptoms of a heart attack.
What to do: Whenever a heart attack is suspected, it is very important to go to the emergency room as soon as possible.
Another heart condition that may be associated with arm pain is angina, however, in angina, the pain that usually occurs in the chest is less severe.
Angina is more common in people with circulatory disorders, such as atherosclerosis, high blood pressure or diabetes, and occurs because the arteries of the heart are affected and blood cannot pass easily, causing heart muscle pain. Angina-related pain can occur after strong emotions or exertion, for example.
What to do: If you suspect angor, it is important to go to the emergency room or consult a cardiologist, to confirm the diagnosis and start appropriate treatment. Your doctor may recommend the use of medications to improve blood flow in your heart’s arteries, such as dinitrate or isosorbide mononitrate. Learn more about treating different types of angina.
In adhesive capsulitis, it is common for the person to be unable to move the shoulder properly, which appears to be “frozen” and the pain radiates to the arm, being more intense at night. This alteration can occur abruptly during sleep and appears to be related to psychological disorders. There may also be shoulder pain and symptoms tend to persist for several months, compromising daily tasks, such as dressing or combing.
What to do: Physiotherapy sessions with physiotherapy exercises and clinical pilates are recommended, as well as passive mobilization techniques. Better understand what adhesive capsulitis is and how to treat it.
When arm pain appears to be located in the bones and is accompanied by pain in other bone areas, such as the legs, this may be a sign of osteoporosis. This type of pain can be present even at rest, being more common in people over 50, especially in postmenopausal women.
What to do: Treatment should be done with increased intake of calcium-rich foods and medications that complement calcium and vitamin D, for example. See more tips in this video:
Although in most cases arm pain is not a sign of a serious problem, it is important to go to the hospital when:
In case of fever, it is always possible that the pain in the arm is caused by a type of infection, and tests are needed in the hospital to identify the cause and start the most appropriate treatment.