Arm pain: causes and when to go to the doctor

Arm pain can indicate changes in muscles, tendons or cardiovascular changes, for example. To be able to identify what is causing this symptom, one must observe when the pain in the arm appeared, its intensity, if it improves or worsens with rest, and one can identify situations such as blows, pain in other parts of the body, for example.

Here are 10 possible causes of arm pain.

1. Heart attack

Chest pain that can radiate to the arm, with a feeling of heaviness, in addition to a tingling sensation in the left arm can indicate a heart attack. In some people, the heart attack may not be so characteristic and manifest with a sensation of poor digestion and discomfort in the throat. Know all the symptoms of a heart attack.

What to do: You must go to the emergency room to be evaluated.

2. Angina

Angina is pain in the chest that can sometimes radiate to the arm. This pain is related to circulatory changes, such as atherosclerosis if they are fatty plaques that accumulate inside arteries throughout life, especially in people with high blood pressure and diabetes. Angina can arise after strong emotions or make some effort, for example.

What to do: If a heart attack or angina is suspected, you should go to the emergency room. The doctor may recommend the use of drugs to improve blood flow through arteries such as Isosorbide dinitrate or mononitrate, for example. Find out more details of treatment the different types of angina.

3. Panic attack or anxiety attack

An anxiety attack can cause symptoms such as agitation, heart palpitation, chest pain, feeling hot, sweating, shortness of breath and a strange feeling in the arm. In a panic attack the person may experience stomach ache, diarrhea and may not be able to leave the house, avoiding contact with people, preferring to be alone in the room.

What to do: In a panic or anxiety crisis you should take a deep breath, stay calm and if necessary, you can crouch to feel more protected. See what else you can do to deal with a panic attack.

4. Tendonitis

Pain in the arm and shoulder can be tendonitis, a situation that mainly affects teachers, servants and painters, because you have to raise your arm several times a day to work. However, pain can also affect bus or truck drivers or people who fell and hit their shoulders on the floor. The pain can be located only in the shoulder or also radiate through the arm, reaching the elbow.

What to do: Putting a cold compress, with crushed ice, is a good option to fight pain in the shoulder and arm. Physiotherapy is also a good option for persistent pain, which lasts more than 1 month. Learn treatment options and some exercises for shoulder tendonitis.

5. Distension in the biceps or triceps muscles

The signs and symptoms of a muscle strain in the front or back of the arm are localized pain near the elbow, which may have arisen after a fall, stroke or exertion at the gym, for example. The region may spin a little swollen, but this is not always noticeable.

What to do: During the first 48 hours it may be useful to put a cold compress on the site of the pain, and after that period it is best to put a warm compress, for 20 minutes, 1 or 2 times a day. Applying an anti-inflammatory ointment like Diclofenac can also help. Find out more details on how you can treat muscle strain.

6. Rotator cuff injury

Shoulder pain can be the shoulder impact syndrome, it is when there is an injury to the structures that help to stabilize this region, causing symptoms such as shoulder pain, in addition to difficulty or weakness to raise the arm, and can be caused by either tendonitis as by partial or total rupture of tendons in the region.

What to do: To treat this syndrome, rest, ice and physiotherapy are indicated, and the orthopedist may also recommend the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ketoprofen, to relieve pain or, in cases where there is improvement, surgical treatment may be necessary. Learn more about the rotator cuff.

7. Adhesive capsulitis

In adhesive capsulitis, the person cannot move the shoulder well, which seems to be 'frozen', the pain radiates to the arm, being more intense at night. This alteration can appear suddenly, during sleep, and seems to be related to psychological disorders. There may be pain in the shoulder and the symptoms persist for months, compromising daily tasks, such as dressing and combing hair.

What to do: It is necessary to do physiotherapy sessions with kinesiotherapy exercises and clinical pilates, in addition to passive mobilization techniques.

8. Shoulder dislocation

Arm and shoulder pain can arise in people who find it easy to displace the shoulder, doing so willingly. This can happen after an episode of involuntary shoulder dislocation. In this case, the person keeps the capsule that forms the joint and ligaments more elastic than normal, facilitating the removal of the arm bone from inside the shoulder.

What to do: To relieve the pain you can take a warm bath and apply an ointment like Diclofenac on the shoulder and arm. But to prevent this displacement from happening frequently, it is advisable to strengthen your muscles with shoulder exercises at the gym or physiotherapy. Learn how to identify and all the details of the treatment for shoulder dislocation.

9. Osteoporosis

Pain in the arms and legs can indicate osteoporosis, this pain can be present even when at rest, being more common in people over 50, especially women during or after menopause.

What to do: Treatment should be done with increased intake of foods rich in calcium and with drugs that supplement calcium and vitamin D, for example. See more tips in this video:

10. Arthrosis

Osteoarthritis in the shoulder is one of the common causes of shoulder pain after 45 years of age, and arises when performing large movements, which may remain for a few hours, and there may be a feeling of sand in the shoulder joint and crackling in the shoulder during the movements.

What to do: Treatment for osteoarthritis is done using pain relieving medications, which should be recommended by the orthopedist, and physical therapy sessions to improve shoulder mobility. Treatment is usually time-consuming and, depending on the case, surgery may be necessary. Learn more details of the treatment for shoulder arthrosis.

When to go to the doctor

You should go to the emergency room if:

• Suspecting a heart attack or angina pectoris; If the pain in the arm suddenly appears and is very strong; When the pain gets worse with the effort; If it looks like the pain is in the bones and finds no relief at all; If you notice any clear deformity On the arm.

You should go to the doctor if:

• Have pain in the arm for more than 1 week; Pain in the arm that radiates to the shoulder or hands or fingers; Severe pain and swelling in the arm; If the pain is getting worse over time.

If symptoms such as fever are present, it is possible that it is caused by an infection, and it is necessary to perform tests to identify the cause.