Arm pain can arise from various causes, ranging from minor issues like muscle strain to more serious conditions affecting nerves, joints, or systemic illnesses. Here is a detailed overview:
- Muscle Strain or Overuse
- Tennis or Golfer’s elbow
- Sprains: Ligament injuries from trauma or overstretching
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Pain, tingling, or numbness in the hand and forearm
- Pinched Nerve in the spine causing radiating arm pain, tingling, or weakness
- Peripheral Neuropathy: Nerve damage from conditions such as diabetes or trauma
- Osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis can lead to joint pain, swelling, and stiffness
- Frozen Shoulder: Restricted shoulder movement can result in referred pain in the arm
- Bursitis: Inflammation of bursae (fluid-filled sacs) near joints
- Lupus or polymyalgia rheumatica can involve arm pain
- Though rare, bone or soft tissue tumours can cause persistent arm pain
Presentation:
It can vary and might include the following:
- Localised shoulder, elbow, or wrist pain often indicates injury or joint problems
- Radiating pain extends from the neck, shoulder, or chest down into the arm, possibly due to nerve involvement or referred pain.
- Sharp, stabbing pain or a burning sensation are related to nerve involvement.
- Dull, aching pain is common in muscle strains, overuse injuries, or arthritis.
- Cramping pain occurs due to muscle overuse or electrolyte imbalances
Assessment and Diagnosis:
To effectively manage arm pain, a thorough evaluation is crucial for identifying the underlying cause. This includes the following components:
- Comprehensive history and assessment
- Investigation: MRI, X-ray, CT scan, Nerve conduction studies
- Follow-up for the personalised multimodal management plan
- Review of the agreed-tailored pathway outcomes
Multimodal Treatment:
The underlying cause determines treatment and may include:
- Initiation of oral analgesics
- Physiotherapy for core muscle strengthening exercises
- Injections into the muscles, tendons, bursa, and joints
- Spinal injections to the cervical nerve roots
- Psychological support: stress management, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- Surgical consultation, if necessary
