shooting pain in arm

[GrandmaSal]

While having blood drawn at the doctor's office six days ago, I experienced a shooting pain. like an electrical shock, when the needle was injected. The "shock" shot down my right arm between the index and middle finger. It also affected the thumb. She was not able to get any blood from that arm even though I have donated blood from that arm several times a year for many years without any problems. The discomfort lasted several hours. During the past two nights, when straightening out my arm during sleep, the "shock" occurs again. This night, the pain is more intense and I cannot sleep. Every time I extend my arm, the pain occurs. What is my course of action?

[ggreg]

Your course of action is to get an emergency squeeze-in appointment to see the DOCTOR at that office (of course not the nurse who drew the blood), and tell him what happened.  A similar thing happened to a relative, only their arm turned blue and red and swolled and horrible, so a vessel was injured, and the doc was able to explain it and treat it.  After your doc explains how a nerve must have been hit (I think that's what he'll say), if he doesn't offer some sort of (a) pain or steroid medication and/or (b) sleep medicine, then ask for it, but he'll probably suggest it on his own, and he MIGHT refer you to a neuro doc, I'm not sure.  In the meantime, put your arm in a makeshift sling from a pillowcase and keep that arm bent across your tummy, so you don't keep setting off that shock.  At night, you can wrap it around your body to hold it bent.  Alka seltzer is good for pain and sleep.