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Neurology (Expert Forum)
Mysterious Arm Pain
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Mysterious Arm Pain
by Chef Mommy, Jan 10, 2005 12:00AM
I am a reasonably healthy 42 year old woman. About a week ago, (1/2/05) I started to feel a dull ache in my left arm, near the place where the bicep meets the elbow. The ache was sometimes a tingling, leaving some numbness in the lower part of the arm down to the fingers. The sensation is not unbearably painful, but a very strange feeling -- weakness, I guess.
Is this a symptom of something that could be serious?
Is this a symptom of something that could be serious?
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-CS, Jan 11, 2005 12:00AM
Without seeing and examining you I cannot make a clinical diagnosis.
Your symptoms may or may not be neurological in origin. Whatever is causing it, may be pinching a nerve causing the tingling sensation down to the fingers.
It's not clear whether you had some trauma to the nerve at the elbow or whether there is some eg tendinitis or bursitis (inflammation at certain parts of the mucle or joint) causing the aching, and pinching of the nerve. Alternatively any kind of a growth in the area may cause your symptoms, for example a lipoma (fatty lump).
The recovery from a pinched nerve is variable, depending on how long the nerve was pinched for (see comment). A brief period of pinching (the nerve is 'stunned'), should result in a quick and complete recovery in hours to days. A longer pinching may mean damage to the nerve and takes longer to heal, if completely (days to weeks).
If you symptoms persist you may want to see your local neurologist for an examination and or nerve conduction study/EMG
Good luck
PW
Your symptoms may or may not be neurological in origin. Whatever is causing it, may be pinching a nerve causing the tingling sensation down to the fingers.
It's not clear whether you had some trauma to the nerve at the elbow or whether there is some eg tendinitis or bursitis (inflammation at certain parts of the mucle or joint) causing the aching, and pinching of the nerve. Alternatively any kind of a growth in the area may cause your symptoms, for example a lipoma (fatty lump).
The recovery from a pinched nerve is variable, depending on how long the nerve was pinched for (see comment). A brief period of pinching (the nerve is 'stunned'), should result in a quick and complete recovery in hours to days. A longer pinching may mean damage to the nerve and takes longer to heal, if completely (days to weeks).
If you symptoms persist you may want to see your local neurologist for an examination and or nerve conduction study/EMG
Good luck
PW
It's very strange indeed. Haven't been to the Dr. yet, we guys seem to wait till it turns blue or falls off, but now i'm getting worried.
Good luck with your arm, seems like we're both perplexed and have some strange ailment
Following taken from the net:
"With treatment, a pinched nerve generally heals in a few days to a few weeks. Chronic cases can result from persistent irritation of the affected nerve. In some cases, damage to the nerve can become permanent"
"Radial nerve= most commonly injured nerve in the body (long course along shaft of frequently fractured bone, the humerus) • @ point distal to humeral epicondyles o radial fracture o “WRIST DROP” from loss of wrist extension (deep branch; ECRB, ECU, EI) • @ point proximal to humeral epicondyles o humeral fracture o both deep & superficial branches affected o deep branch: “WRIST DROP” (see above) plus pronation (loss of supinator) & inability to extend digits & thumb (extensor digitorum, EPB, EPL) o superficial branch: loss of sensation to dorsum of hand & thumb o NOTE: some supination still possible because biceps is preserved
Posterior cord= “Saturday night palsy” OR “crutch palsy” • “WRIST DROP” (see above) & maybe “WAITER’S TIP” (loss of abduction of arm, loss of some supination) • loss of sensation in distribution of axillary & radial nerves
Lower trunk= “Klumpke paralysis” • breach delivery, shoulder dislocation, apical lung tumor, cervical rib, scalene syndrome • maybe “CLAW HAND” from loss of ulnar nerve (but loss of radial & median nerves makes it complicated); inability to adduct arm in lowered position against resistance (medial pectoral nerve) • hypesthesia over C8, T1 dermatomes"