swollen hand and arm (right) pain in arm and neck area

[judy516]

72 year old with swollen hand (right) and arm with pain in arm and neck
possibilities?

[DECMT]

As a professional massage therapist, and someone who's had injuries myself, I can relate - though I don't have the same condition you've described.  Your father's condition my have been related to constriction from the whole upper back into the neck.  Whether that was injury, or just overuse, it's impossible to say, but anything from herniated discs to pressure on the nerves could have caused some of his problems - without being related to the heart attack.  Severe muscle tension alone is enough to restrict blood flow which can also cause the coldness you've described.  It can also pull the bones out of proper alignment.

If you have health insurance that would cover seeing a doctor, I would encourage you to have the problem looked at, whether you see a Chiropractor, an Osteopath, or a General Practitioner MD.  It may be that with heat & massage you could free up the upper back & that might help to improve your issue, but with the swelling there is a concern of fluids being backed up in the tissues - possibly extending into the back & the chest. (which is where a good Lymphatic Drainage massage can really help - that is also the best option for women who've undergone mastectomies - which often causes the problem you've described.   Once the problem area is worked on a few times up you will most likely be able to reduce the swelling the hand & arm - though you may have to continue the treatment a few times if not on an ongoing basis to really clear it out.  

Please be aware that though you may feel the problem is localized - there is often a likelihood that the cause lays elsewhere, which is why I've suggested the solution I've given you to consider.

Best of luck with your recovery,
Deborah  

[judy516]

Thanks for posting.  There was numbness in one of my dad's hands and one hand was colder than the other.  He never went to the doc.  Maybe it is brought on by chopping ice or shoveling?  He had a heart attack at 61 and had a stent put in.

[DECMT]

While I'm not a medical doctor, I would certainly suggest you see one to rule out anything major.  Swelling such as you describe can take place due to a problem with lymph drainage.  As to why it occurred I can't answer that.  Have you had any injuries or surgery in the past year or more ?

If your doctor finds nothing "wrong" & your health is otherwise fine, I would strongly suggest seeing a massage therapist drained in Lymph drainage - it is a gentle modality which can bring dramatic relief for clearing the swelling of tissues through areas that are
a problem.  Good luck to you!