Arm Muscle Pain

Our arms are made up of three bones, nerves, muscles, tendons and ligaments, all of which are liable to damage or an injury. On top of that, our arms and hands are the most used body parts - whether at home or at office. We use arms to carry things, while working in office and even when communicating. All these activities can put a pressure on the arms, resulting in arm muscle pain. Arm pain can extend from the shoulder to the wrist of the affected person. Here are the causes of arm muscle pain followed by its treatment.

Arm Muscle Pain Causes
The causes behind arm muscle pain vary from person to person. Here are some of the commonly observed ones.

• Muscle fatigue is the number one cause behind pain in the arm muscles. Tired muscles of the arm, caused due to over usage of the arms, can lead to arm muscle pain.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome or repetitive strain injury caused to the wrist by using a keyboard or a mouse for a very long time in the same position, can extend to the arms causing arm muscle pain. Wrist pain resulting from carpal tunnel syndrome, can cause arm muscle pain during pregnancy and arm muscle pain at night too, due to the increased pressure on the wrist nerves.
• A pinched nerve in the shoulder, neck or arm can cause arm muscle pain.
• Broken bones or fractures in the forearm or in the upper arm, caused due to an accident or a fall, can result in arm muscle pain. Pain caused due to broken bones might not be felt initially, but may appear gradually when the arm is moved continuously.
• Bicipital tendinitis is a condition in which a tendon is torn near the shoulder, leading to severe pain in the upper arms, especially the biceps. Inflamed tendons in the shoulders, caused due to lifting weights in the gym may result in upper arm pain too. In fact, muscle twitching in arm, could be due to over exercising in the gym.
• A terrible arm muscle pain and weakness could be a sign of a heart attack, especially if it is on the left side and is accompanied by symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, chest pain and nausea.
• Cervical disc herniations can be another cause of arm muscle pain if accompanied by symptoms such as arm numbness and a tingling sensation in the arms. Know more on left arm numbness and tingling.
• Misalignment of the shoulder can cause poor circulation of blood to the arm, resulting in arm muscle pain.

Arm Muscle Pain Treatment
Treatment for arm muscle pain depends upon the causes of the arm pain. Most people generally rely on painkillers to get rid of arm pain. An effective home remedy for reducing pain in the arm muscles is to simply rub ice cubes over the affected area.

Arm muscle pain and muscle cramps caused due to muscle fatigue or due to carpal tunnel syndrome, can be treated by giving the arm some rest for a few days. Taking a break from all such activities which make the muscles tired, can relieve the arm muscle pain. If a complete cut off from these activities is not possible, it is recommended that these activities be conducted with proper breaks and resting periods in between, so that the arm muscles have time to recover. Arm exercises too work wonder in such cases. Simply raising the arm to the chest level and again bringing it back to the normal position is a very effective exercise which can be done even while at work, to get rid of arm pain.

For treating muscle arm pain caused due to a pinched nerve, contact a neurologist or a chiropractor. Doctors generally prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen, to reduce the pain as well as the swelling around the nerve. Physical therapies such as exercises to stretch the muscles in the affected area and to reduce the pressure on nerves are also recommended. Surgery is recommended as a last resort, if all the other treatments fail to treat a pinched nerve. Even broken bones are either treated by putting a cast or by conducting a surgery.

To treat arm muscle pain resulting from bicipital tendinitis or a torn bicep muscle, doctors generally recommend physical therapies such as massages and electrotherapy, besides the anti-inflammatory drugs and adequate amount of rest to the affected area. Misalignment of the shoulder can be treated by a chiropractic adjustment which can be done only by consulting a chiropractor. Cervical disc herniations are treated either by surgery or through non surgical methods such as anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen, naproxen, vioxx or celebrex accompanied by physical therapies such as exercises, traction, massages and ultrasounds.

These are a few methods which are followed to bring arm muscle pain relief. Pain in the arm muscles should not be taken lightly, especially if the muscle pain symptoms persist for more than three days and are accompanied by either of these symptoms, such as arm swelling, numbness in the arms, inability to move the arm, chest pain or difficulty in breathing, as overlooking these symptoms could lead to some serious health implications.