Left arm pain.. what should I do?
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hi all, I'll give some background information first before explaining how my arms feels.
Perhaps this doesn't relate to the pain, but I've been dealing with health anxiety on and off for a couple years. I've been experiencing symptoms that have been going on for a month now. This time I have convinced myself I have ALS as I've developed constant twitching.
About two weeks ago I had these stabbing sharp pains in my abdomen and left shoulder. They were pretty powerful but eventually subsided after approximately 5 minutes.
A week later I noticed that my left hand seemed smaller than the left. It looked as though the muscle under the thumb (on the palm of your hand) had slightly atrophied.
Most current:
Two days ago my arm began hurting. The pain was sort of dull and seemed to be coming from my shoulder. Since then it has intensified, the pain is mainly in my shoulder and forearm. At times it feels like there's a lot of pressure inside, others it feels like it aches. I also get this cold sensation in my arm from time to time. The back of my neck (where the head meets the neck) has also become sore on the left side only. It feels bruised and sensitive to touch. My fingers also swelled for a little but last night. I thought sleep would help but the pain continues.
I've never experienced this before so it has me worried. I do suffer from anxiety so i don't know if this has any relation to it. My family has said that it's probably nothing but I'm thinking otherwise.. When I've had pain in my limbs in the past usually it would go away overnight. I do have a doctors appointment with my doctor but that's a couple of weeks away.
I was wondering if anyone has any insight into what this sounds like or if it seems like something I should be going to a hospital for.
Thank you
1 like, 7 replies
taylor81670
Posted
amkoffee taylor81670
Posted
I am not trying to belittle your pain but I do think that a lot of this may be your anxiety. Although the pain in your neck, shoulder and upper arm could easily be a muscluar problem which can be resolved with a warm compress on it for about 20 minutes several times a day. Also try to take Ibuprofen for it as that will help with the swelling in the muscles. And keep your appointment with your doctor so that he/she can see it. And when you see your doctor make sure to mention what treatments you'be been doing so far because I'm sure he/she will recommend if he/she doesn't know that you have already started it and have already been doing it for two weeks. But I do not feel that this warrents a trip to the hospital. Please try to remain calm and don't do a lot of searching on Dr. Google. That only makes the anxiety worse. Keep me posted.
hope4cure taylor81670
Posted
The type of pain you describe can be a # of different issues. In my case I have a shoulder torn rotator cuff and neck compression ankling spondylitis, and collar bone spurs.
Wait to see your doc for your particular diagnosis . Everyone is different. I hope it's something that with PT can help you get thru this as arthritis has taken a toll on many of us with pain issues.
lilian05079 taylor81670
Posted
You may have a bit of inflammation going on in your arm, shoulder and neck...ask your doc if he would have an ESR blood test carried out..Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate blood test to confirm inflammation.......best wishes for a speedy diagnosis....keep us posted...
Hi_Support_Dele taylor81670
Posted
Heart attack
A blood clot or rupture in a coronary artery can stop the flow of blood to part of your heart. When that happens, the muscle can quickly become damaged. Without treatment, the heart muscle starts to die.
Additional symptoms of heart attack include:
chest pain or pressure
pain in the back, neck, shoulder, or jaw
nausea or vomiting
shortness of breath
light-headedness or fainting
breaking out in a cold sweat
fatigue
Some people have intense symptoms. Others have symptoms that come and go or may be as mild as a case of indigestion.
holly75952 taylor81670
Posted
I think that your anxiety might be playing a part here however it doesn't mean that there is nothing going wrong.
?I have thoracic outlet syndrome and suffered a deep vein thrombosis (blood clot) in my subclavian vein (main vein for the arm) and i experience symptoms like this.
?Hope that your doctor appointment goes well and I'm sure that if there is something wrong, they will find it
Tilda12345 taylor81670
Posted
I've been getting pain In my arms too , and I've been getting a lot of panic attacks lately, I had an ambulance come to my house and they told me that I probably do have anxiety and that that can cause things like numb hands and face