Upper Arm Pain mid arm between the elbow and shoulder

[socrates2k1]

I have been looking everywhere for an answer, maybe someone here can.

About 1 year ago I began having pain in my right upper arm, between the shoulder and elbow, about mid arm where the biceps brachii muscle or brachialis muscle is.
I went to my Primary Physician who said it was a torn brachialis muscle.  Since I was working at a 2nd job, I thought it might be job related so I went through the whole Workman's Comp issue.  They sent me to 4 doctors who did nothing for me, finally the case was settled and my lawyer got most of the money, but I still have the pain.  It is an extreme ache down to the bone, that is unbearable at night.  Even with pain medicine and sleep aides, I get about 2-3 hours a night.  Finally, I went back to my own doctor and asked if he could help me, he said yes.  He sent me for an MRI, and then to an Orthopedic Surgeon.  The Surgeon said the MRI revealed a cyst inside the humerus bone about 1 cm by 5 mm, that would have to be "watched" to see if it grows, if it does, it could weaken the bone, and the slightest mishap could break the bone.  However, he said it could NOT be causing me so much pain.  He checked out my arm and noticed a hard soft tissue knot, and suggested removing it through surgery and it "might" relieve my pain.  So, 3 weeks ago I had the said surgery and it was removed (a hard soft tissue mass about the size of a marble).  No, this was not the cyst inside my humerus bone.  Anyways, I still have the pain, and it is extremely terrible at night (on a scale of 1 to 10, a 20 at night).  I even have the same pain, in the same place, in my left arm, but to a much lesser degree (maybe a 5-7 at night, but bearable).  I have tried many unsuccessful web searches, trying to find something that might lead me to an answer for what this is, so here I am grasping at cyber straws.  I have this incredible pain, that is extremely painful at night, no idea what it is, therefore  no idea how to cure it.  Please, if you have any ideas of where to research, I am definitely open and also AWAKE.  Thank you for your time, consideration, and cooperation in this matter, I deeply appreciate it.

[spade22]

Hi,

has shoulder bursitis been ruled out?  I have copied and pasted some information on this below.  If it is shoulder related (and you have "transferred" pain), the fact you put "pressure" on it at night from lying down could explain why your pain increases at night.



"The Causes of Shoulder Pain Defined
Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa. A bursa is a tiny fluid-filled sac that functions as a gliding surface to reduce friction between tissues of the body. There are 160 bursae in the body. The major bursae are located adjacent to the tendons near the large joints, such as the shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees.

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body. When a person reaches overhead, the tendons that move the shoulder must glide almost two inches past a bone surface. The acromion is the large bursa in the shoulder that protects and cushions the tendons as they glide beneath the shoulder blade. With repetitive activities above shoulder level, overuse, aging or falls, this bursa may become inflamed, producing noises when the shoulder is moved. Pain coming from shoulder bursitis is frequently felt halfway down the upper arm toward the elbow."

[ramonacat]

I appear to be suffering from the same symptoms as you are.  This pain has been going on, off and on again, for almost two years.  Asprin or any anti-inflammatories help but I don't want to rely on them forever.  Please let me know if you've had any luck diagnosing your illness.    

[Tomster2]

Same here.  Left arm... midway between shoulder and elbow.   First noticed it when it woke me up the first night, and each night there after.  It has since progressed to where I can feel it all day... but night is the worst.  Not as bad as yours, but enough to affect my sleep - and is now having a definite affect on the strength in my left arm.

And no, it is not the "shooting pain" associated with a heart attach... nor does it start in the shoulder as in the case of bursitis mentioned above.  It starts and ends in the middle of my humerous, on the outside side (away from my body).

Your posting is the first I have found that offers anything close to a similar symptom.

I am 59, a life time jogger, and have avoided medications at all costs through out my life (because the few times they have been prescribed - 3/4ths of the time they have created worse conditions than the one that led to my taking them in the first place).

Thanks for sharing your experiences... perhaps others will post.

[Rusty573]

I'm about to visit a sport medicine MD on mine. Mine sounds the same as both of you though and it wakes me up at night - particularly if I sleep with my arm bent.  I ascribe mine (for now) as a "spreading" of my tennis elbow problem.  That was a result of too much remodeling.  Add to that too much time at the keyboard.  Either of you guys have tennis elbow (just INSIDE the knobby bone by the elbow)?

[squeeks1286]

I just registered on here today to see if i could find anything for that exact symptom. I am 21 and having the same syptoms in my right arm I thought maybe it was contributed to being on the computer all day at work and got a wrist brace for when I type, that has not helped, I have gotten to where I have to sleep on my left side with two pillows in front of me to lay my right arm on and it still does not help that much I wake up off and on all through the night. I am also having back pains and numb hand and fingers at times, the numbness is in my left and right hand. The pain in my right arm is more intense when I move my arm away from my body or up at all.

[wonderingnow]

I also have been noticing this sensation in the past while, so that it hurts when I lift my arms over my head or even above level.  The little bit of research I have done points to the LI-14 acupuncture point (large intestine), which may signal something going on in my digestive system which needs correction.  Also, I am starting to take daily megadoses of 4g-10g ascorbic acid (Bronson No. 145, capsuled by me so that the acidity of the Vitamin C doesn't hurt my teeth; must be spaced out during the day rather than taken all at once) to see if that will give my body the assist it needs, whether to rebuild bone (am also taking capsuled monosodium phosphate--about 1/8 tsp. of the pure, food-grade kind horses get fed--along with Algaecal) or to give my immune system a boost for whatever reason.  Not sure if it has to do with fluoride in the water (don't usually drink fluoridated water of any kind) or something else purportedly innocuous.

[cozzens12]

I have been having the same problem in my right arm. It started out as just a twinge many months ago, but has been steadily getting worse. I was dismissing it as part of my Fibromyalgia, but as pronounced as it is getting to be, I believe that it has to be something different. If anyone finds out anything on this. I would be interested in hearing more on it.

[poetroz]

I went to the Dr. on Fri. about this exact problem which woke me up at night 2 weeks ago and every night since. Pain in the upper right arm is excruciating at night and last night it started slightly in left arm.  Have resorted to sleeping in almost a sitting position to keep arms straight because pain is worsened if arm is bent. Pain meds for last three nights did not help.  Dr. said it may be overuse of the muscle due to the physical work I do.  She said pain meds only will help a little, need anti-inflammatory meds which I am allergic to and cannot take. Has anyone tried those?