Arm pain can be caused by a variety of different reasons. It is often difficult to figure out the cause of your arm pain on your own.
Pain that radiates down your arm could be due to an issue in your neck, shoulder, elbow, or hand. Here are some reasons why you may be experiencing arm pain.
Neck and arm pain can be due to issues relating to your cervical spine. Neck pain is highly prevalent across the population and is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders (injuries of muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, discs, bone, etc.)
A study of Irish farmers in 2010 identified that 25% of farmers commonly experience neck and shoulder pain.
Farm workers are exposed to repetitive physical stresses and subsequent fatigue.
Researchers found that working long hours was more common in those complaining of neck and shoulder pain.
Herniated or degenerative spinal discs in your neck can cause both neck and arm pain.
A herniated disc (bulging disc) in your neck can sometimes press on a nerve root (pinched nerve). This can result in pain, numbness or pins and needles down your arm.
These symptoms can also be caused by stenosis in your cervical spine.
Stenosis is narrowing of the spinal canals, often due to bone spurs or degenerative small facet joints in your neck.
If the nerves are significantly impacted you may also experience weakness in your arm or hand. Burning pain is often associated with nerve-related pain.
Shoulder problems
The shoulder can also cause arm pain. The shoulder is a strong flexible joint and is considered one of the most mobile parts of the body.
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint and often suffer injury, resulting in shoulder and arm pain.
Muscle tears, inflamed tendons and shoulder impingement are some of the musculoskeletal disorders that can also cause shoulder pain. In some cases, pain can also be felt travelling down the arm to the elbow.
Restricted shoulder movements, difficulty putting your hand behind your back or head, often relates to an issue with your shoulder. Dull achy pain that is worse with shoulder movements and worse when side lying on it, may indicate your pain is coming from your shoulder rather than your neck.
Tennis elbow
The source of your arm pain may be coming from an injury or issue with your elbow. Tennis elbow is a common soft tissue issue that causes pain and tenderness on the outside of your elbow.
You may also experience referred pain into your forearm and back of your hand.
Pain related to tennis elbow is worse with gripping or twisting activities, such as opening a jar, turning a door handle or holding small objects.
Tennis elbow is an overuse injury of the muscles/tendons around the elbow. It often develops after a sudden increase in activity that involves repetitive tasks like gardening, decorating, sports, typing, etc.
The good news is that it usually gets better without treatment. However, it can last up to two years.
Simple treatment techniques like icing, avoiding tasks that strain your elbow muscles and using topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory creams and gels can help with pain and inflammation.
Your local physiotherapist can advise on a variety of treatments and exercises to help speed up your recovery.
Nerves
Finally, pain in your hand can be due to compression or irritation of lower nerve roots in your neck. However, it may also relate to an issue in your hand or wrist.
Arthritis, carpal tunnel or inflammation and irritation of tendons around your thumb are some common causes of wrist and hand pain.
Carpal tunnel, a common complaint, is due to compression of nerves that travel through a small tunnel in your wrist.
This results in pain and/or sensory changes (numbness, burning, pins and needles) in your hand.
Advanced protracted compression of theses nerves may result in weakness in your hands also.
Injury can occur at any point along the course of a nerve as they travel from your neck, along your arm and into your hand.
Assessment by a medical professional can help identify where your issue is arising from and the most appropriate treatment.
If you are experiencing loss of strength in your arm or hand, it is important that you seek advice and present for assessment to determine the reason for your symptoms.
Read more
Physiotherapy: common injuries on the farm
Stephen O’Rourke: keep fit while farming
Arm pain can be caused by a variety of different reasons. It is often difficult to figure out the cause of your arm pain on your own.
Pain that radiates down your arm could be due to an issue in your neck, shoulder, elbow, or hand. Here are some reasons why you may be experiencing arm pain.
Neck and arm pain can be due to issues relating to your cervical spine. Neck pain is highly prevalent across the population and is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders (injuries of muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, discs, bone, etc.)
A study of Irish farmers in 2010 identified that 25% of farmers commonly experience neck and shoulder pain.
Farm workers are exposed to repetitive physical stresses and subsequent fatigue.
Researchers found that working long hours was more common in those complaining of neck and shoulder pain.
Herniated or degenerative spinal discs in your neck can cause both neck and arm pain.
A herniated disc (bulging disc) in your neck can sometimes press on a nerve root (pinched nerve). This can result in pain, numbness or pins and needles down your arm.
These symptoms can also be caused by stenosis in your cervical spine.
Stenosis is narrowing of the spinal canals, often due to bone spurs or degenerative small facet joints in your neck.
If the nerves are significantly impacted you may also experience weakness in your arm or hand. Burning pain is often associated with nerve-related pain.
Shoulder problems
The shoulder can also cause arm pain. The shoulder is a strong flexible joint and is considered one of the most mobile parts of the body.
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint and often suffer injury, resulting in shoulder and arm pain.
Muscle tears, inflamed tendons and shoulder impingement are some of the musculoskeletal disorders that can also cause shoulder pain. In some cases, pain can also be felt travelling down the arm to the elbow.
Restricted shoulder movements, difficulty putting your hand behind your back or head, often relates to an issue with your shoulder. Dull achy pain that is worse with shoulder movements and worse when side lying on it, may indicate your pain is coming from your shoulder rather than your neck.
Tennis elbow
The source of your arm pain may be coming from an injury or issue with your elbow. Tennis elbow is a common soft tissue issue that causes pain and tenderness on the outside of your elbow.
You may also experience referred pain into your forearm and back of your hand.
Pain related to tennis elbow is worse with gripping or twisting activities, such as opening a jar, turning a door handle or holding small objects.
Tennis elbow is an overuse injury of the muscles/tendons around the elbow. It often develops after a sudden increase in activity that involves repetitive tasks like gardening, decorating, sports, typing, etc.
The good news is that it usually gets better without treatment. However, it can last up to two years.
Simple treatment techniques like icing, avoiding tasks that strain your elbow muscles and using topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory creams and gels can help with pain and inflammation.
Your local physiotherapist can advise on a variety of treatments and exercises to help speed up your recovery.
Nerves
Finally, pain in your hand can be due to compression or irritation of lower nerve roots in your neck. However, it may also relate to an issue in your hand or wrist.
Arthritis, carpal tunnel or inflammation and irritation of tendons around your thumb are some common causes of wrist and hand pain.
Carpal tunnel, a common complaint, is due to compression of nerves that travel through a small tunnel in your wrist.
This results in pain and/or sensory changes (numbness, burning, pins and needles) in your hand.
Advanced protracted compression of theses nerves may result in weakness in your hands also.
Injury can occur at any point along the course of a nerve as they travel from your neck, along your arm and into your hand.
Assessment by a medical professional can help identify where your issue is arising from and the most appropriate treatment.
If you are experiencing loss of strength in your arm or hand, it is important that you seek advice and present for assessment to determine the reason for your symptoms.
Read more
Physiotherapy: common injuries on the farm
Stephen O’Rourke: keep fit while farming
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