Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsOveruseTraumaArthritisHeart ConditionsNerve ConditionsOther ConditionsDiagnosisManaging at HomeWhen to Seek CareTreatmentsPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Overuse
Trauma
Arthritis
Heart Conditions
Nerve Conditions
Other Conditions
Diagnosis
Managing at Home
When to Seek Care
Treatments
Prevention
Verywell / Alexandra Gordon
Signs of an EmergencySigns you need to seek emergency medical care right away include:Pain or pressure in your chest (which can besymptoms of a heart attack)A sudden injury that causes severe pain or deformity (signs of a possible fracture or dislocation)Severe pain that does not get better with simple treatment at homeSwelling or redness that gets worse
Signs of an Emergency
Signs you need to seek emergency medical care right away include:Pain or pressure in your chest (which can besymptoms of a heart attack)A sudden injury that causes severe pain or deformity (signs of a possible fracture or dislocation)Severe pain that does not get better with simple treatment at homeSwelling or redness that gets worse
Signs you need to seek emergency medical care right away include:
Overuse Conditions
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Bursitis
Bursitisis the most common cause of arm andshoulder pain. It is when there is inflammation in the fluid-filled sac between the bones, muscles, and tendons.
Tendonitis
Tendonitisis a type of shoulder impingement syndrome. In this condition, there is inflammation around a tendon (a cord of tissue that connects muscle to bone). Tendinitis in the arm usually happens in the shoulder.
Rotator Cuff Tears
Rotator cuff tearscause a deep, aching sensation over the outside of their arm. The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint. Arm pain from a torn rotator cuff commonly comes on when lifting the arm overhead.
Arm pain at night from a rotator cuff tear can be bad enough to awaken you from sleep, especially if you’re sleeping in an awkward position. Pain from a rotator cuff is typically considered a shoulder joint problem. The pain people have with tendonitis, bursitis, or tears of the rotator cuff is often felt further down the arm.
Tennis Elbow
This condition occurs when the tendons on the outside of the elbow joint get irritated. Much of this arm pain is felt in the lower portion of the arm.
Several traumatic conditions can cause pain in the left or right arm, including:
Fractures
If you have had a recent fall or other significant injury and have arm pain, your healthcare provider will want to check if you have a broken bone. Fractures can occur around theshoulder jointor the large bone of the upper arm (humerus).
Sprains
Sprains happen when the tough bands of tissue connecting your bones (called ligaments) are stretched or torn.A sprain can cause pain and swelling and interfere with the range of motion in your arm.
Dislocations
When you dislocate your shoulder or elbow or “pop it out of joint,” it can cause a lot of arm pain.Shoulder dislocationandelbow dislocationhappen when the joints get separated from their normal position.
Muscle Contusion
Amuscle contusionis a deep bruise. It is a commonsports injurythat can lead to arm pain. This injury causes bruising, swelling, and sometimes the build-up of scar tissue in the muscle.
Brachial Plexus Injury
Abrachial plexusinjury affects the nerves in the shoulder. These nerves carry movement and sensory signals to the arm and hand. Symptoms can include pain in the arm or hand along with numbness and weakness. Brachial plexus injuries usually occur after an injury to the neck.
Arthritis is a common cause of pain. It can occur in any joint, including the joints of the arm and hand. Some of the different types of arthritis include:
Osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune condition, which means the immune system mistakenly attacks the tissues in the joints. People with RA have symptoms that are similar to osteoarthritis, including pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints. RA may also cause symptoms like fatigue, fever, and loss of appetite.
Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune condition that occurs when the immune system becomes overactive. Symptoms include pain and swelling in the joints. Psoriatic arthritis usually occurs in people who have a skin condition called psoriasis.
Heart conditions can cause referred pain in the arm. This usually happensin the left arm, but right arm pain can also be a sign of a heart problem. Some of the conditions that can cause this type of pain include:
Heart Attack
Heart attack arm pain varies from person to person, but it can move from the shoulder and go down either arm or both arms.The pain may move to the chin or down the shoulder blades and across the upper back. The arm pain may or may not come with pressure in the chest that feels like a weight is on you.
Angina
Angina is a symptom of a heart condition called coronary artery disease. It happens when there is an insufficient flow of blood to the chest.
Angina is usually experienced as a sensation of pressure, tightness, or heaviness in the chest, but it can also cause pain in the arm, neck, back, or even the jaw.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
Deep vein thrombosis describes a blood clot in a vein located deep in the body. It usually affects the legs, but it is also possible to experience DVT in your arm. When it occurs in the arm, it usually has a secondary cause such as trauma, surgery, or a catheter placement.Symptoms of DVT in the arm include arm pain and cramping, swelling and tenderness, and skin discoloration or visibly enlarged veins.
DVT can be dangerous because if the clot breaks away, it can travel to the lung and cause apulmonary embolism, a serious condition that can interfere with blood flow to the lung.
A condition of the nerves in the left or right arm can cause pain and other symptoms. Some of these conditions include:
Pinched Nerve
A pinched nerve in the cervical spine in the neck can cause arm pain.Aherniated disccan press on nerves that branch off from the spinal cord, leading to pain, tingling, and numbness in the arm.
Herniated Disk
A herniated disk occurs when the fibers on the outside of the spinal disc become weak, and the softer material inside bulges out.The bulge can compress a nerve root or cause inflammation leading to symptoms like sharp pain in the arm or an electrical sensation.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Thoracic outlet syndromecan compress blood vessels or nerves in the shoulder region, leading to pain going down the arm.
Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy happens when the nerves that carry messages between your brain and the rest of your body become damaged. This can lead to symptoms like pain, weakness, and numbness in the affected limb.
Peripheral neuropathy can have various causes including diabetes, infections, autoimmune conditions, bone marrow disorders, and others.
Some other conditions that can cause arm pain include:
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgiais a chronic condition that can cause pain throughout the body, including the arm. If you have fibromyalgia, you may also experience other symptoms like extreme fatigue, memory problems, digestive issues, and insomnia.
Gallbladder Disease
Pain in the right shoulder or upper back is a common symptom of gallbladder disease, occurring in up to 37% of all cases.
Frozen Shoulder
A frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is a condition that causes pain and loss of motion in the joint. The connective tissue around the shoulder joint becomes inflamed, causing scar formations called adhesions.One risk factor for the condition is having to keep your shoulder immobilized for a period of time due to surgery or an injury.
Lupus
Lupus can cause arm pain in different ways. It can cause arthritis in the joints, which can affect the wrists and elbows. It can cause inflammation in the tendons, leading to pain around the elbows and shoulders. You may also experience myalgia (pain in the muscles), or, in some cases, myositis (inflammation that leads to muscle weakness).
Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) happens with compression of nerves or blood vessels between the upper body and arm. This causes pain, weakness, numbness, tingling, or swelling in the neck, shoulder, and arms. Without treatment, it can lead to increased pain and loss of function in the arms. Some cases could lead to life-threatening blood clots.
Your healthcare provider will ask you about your arm pain and look at your arm. They may want to do special scans to look at other parts of your body, such as:
Other tests, such as laboratory studies or anEKG, can help your provider figure out why you have arm pain as well as come up with a treatment plan.
Self-Care for Arm Pain
The treatment for arm pain depends on what’s causing it.
For more common overuse causes of arm pain, some simple treatments include:
When to See a Healthcare Provider
You should schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider if your arm pain doesn’t improve within two to four weeks. Also see a healthcare provider if you have other symptoms along with pain including:
Medical Treatment
If at-home measures are not relieving arm pain, you might need medical treatment including:
It is not always possible to prevent arm pain, but a few strategies can help you prevent injuries:
Summary
Many things can cause left or right arm pain, including overuse injuries and traumatic injuries. Sometimes, more serious health problems located in another part of the body can cause arm pain.
Rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medication are common starting treatments for arm pain. Sometimes, you may need physical therapy, cortisone injections, or surgery to fix the cause of your arm pain.
26 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Carpal tunnel syndrome.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Shoulder impingement/rotator cuff tendinitis.National Library of Medicine.Sprains and strains.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Elbow dislocation.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Brachial plexus injury.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Osteoarthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Rheumatoid arthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Psoriatic arthritis.MedlinePlus.Heart Attack.National Library of Medicine.Angina.Heil J, Miesbach W, Vogl T, Bechstein WO, Reinisch A.Deep vein thrombosis of the upper extremity.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2017;114(14):244-249. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2017.0244American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Cervical radiculopathy (pinched nerve).National Library of Medicine.Herniated disc.National Library of Medicine.Peripheral neuropathy.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Fibromyalgia.Vahed LK, Khedmat L.Frequency of symptoms associated with gallstone disease: A hospital-based cross sectional study.Eur J Transl Myol. 2018;28(2):7412. doi:10.4081/ejtm.2018.7412John Hopkins Medicine.Frozen shoulder.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Frozen shoulder.Lupus Foundation of America.Lupus and the joints, muscles, and bones.UC Davis Health Vascular Center.Thoracic outlet syndrome.John Hopkins Medicine.X-rays of the extremeties.Mount Sinai.Arm MRI.Yale Medicine.Musculoskeletal ultrasound.University of Utah Health.When to see an orthopedic doctor for shoulder & elbow pain.Pain Center of Arizona.Arm pain relief.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Preventing sports injuries.Additional ReadingO’Connor FG.Evaluation of elbow pain in adults.Vaughan A, Hulkower S.Evaluation of the adult with shoulder complaints.
26 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Carpal tunnel syndrome.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Shoulder impingement/rotator cuff tendinitis.National Library of Medicine.Sprains and strains.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Elbow dislocation.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Brachial plexus injury.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Osteoarthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Rheumatoid arthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Psoriatic arthritis.MedlinePlus.Heart Attack.National Library of Medicine.Angina.Heil J, Miesbach W, Vogl T, Bechstein WO, Reinisch A.Deep vein thrombosis of the upper extremity.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2017;114(14):244-249. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2017.0244American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Cervical radiculopathy (pinched nerve).National Library of Medicine.Herniated disc.National Library of Medicine.Peripheral neuropathy.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Fibromyalgia.Vahed LK, Khedmat L.Frequency of symptoms associated with gallstone disease: A hospital-based cross sectional study.Eur J Transl Myol. 2018;28(2):7412. doi:10.4081/ejtm.2018.7412John Hopkins Medicine.Frozen shoulder.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Frozen shoulder.Lupus Foundation of America.Lupus and the joints, muscles, and bones.UC Davis Health Vascular Center.Thoracic outlet syndrome.John Hopkins Medicine.X-rays of the extremeties.Mount Sinai.Arm MRI.Yale Medicine.Musculoskeletal ultrasound.University of Utah Health.When to see an orthopedic doctor for shoulder & elbow pain.Pain Center of Arizona.Arm pain relief.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Preventing sports injuries.Additional ReadingO’Connor FG.Evaluation of elbow pain in adults.Vaughan A, Hulkower S.Evaluation of the adult with shoulder complaints.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Carpal tunnel syndrome.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Shoulder impingement/rotator cuff tendinitis.National Library of Medicine.Sprains and strains.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Elbow dislocation.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Brachial plexus injury.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Osteoarthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Rheumatoid arthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Psoriatic arthritis.MedlinePlus.Heart Attack.National Library of Medicine.Angina.Heil J, Miesbach W, Vogl T, Bechstein WO, Reinisch A.Deep vein thrombosis of the upper extremity.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2017;114(14):244-249. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2017.0244American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Cervical radiculopathy (pinched nerve).National Library of Medicine.Herniated disc.National Library of Medicine.Peripheral neuropathy.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Fibromyalgia.Vahed LK, Khedmat L.Frequency of symptoms associated with gallstone disease: A hospital-based cross sectional study.Eur J Transl Myol. 2018;28(2):7412. doi:10.4081/ejtm.2018.7412John Hopkins Medicine.Frozen shoulder.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Frozen shoulder.Lupus Foundation of America.Lupus and the joints, muscles, and bones.UC Davis Health Vascular Center.Thoracic outlet syndrome.John Hopkins Medicine.X-rays of the extremeties.Mount Sinai.Arm MRI.Yale Medicine.Musculoskeletal ultrasound.University of Utah Health.When to see an orthopedic doctor for shoulder & elbow pain.Pain Center of Arizona.Arm pain relief.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Preventing sports injuries.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Carpal tunnel syndrome.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Shoulder impingement/rotator cuff tendinitis.
National Library of Medicine.Sprains and strains.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Elbow dislocation.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Brachial plexus injury.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Osteoarthritis.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Rheumatoid arthritis.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Psoriatic arthritis.
MedlinePlus.Heart Attack.
National Library of Medicine.Angina.
Heil J, Miesbach W, Vogl T, Bechstein WO, Reinisch A.Deep vein thrombosis of the upper extremity.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2017;114(14):244-249. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2017.0244
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Cervical radiculopathy (pinched nerve).
National Library of Medicine.Herniated disc.
National Library of Medicine.Peripheral neuropathy.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Fibromyalgia.
Vahed LK, Khedmat L.Frequency of symptoms associated with gallstone disease: A hospital-based cross sectional study.Eur J Transl Myol. 2018;28(2):7412. doi:10.4081/ejtm.2018.7412
John Hopkins Medicine.Frozen shoulder.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Frozen shoulder.
Lupus Foundation of America.Lupus and the joints, muscles, and bones.
UC Davis Health Vascular Center.Thoracic outlet syndrome.
John Hopkins Medicine.X-rays of the extremeties.
Mount Sinai.Arm MRI.
Yale Medicine.Musculoskeletal ultrasound.
University of Utah Health.When to see an orthopedic doctor for shoulder & elbow pain.
Pain Center of Arizona.Arm pain relief.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Preventing sports injuries.
O’Connor FG.Evaluation of elbow pain in adults.Vaughan A, Hulkower S.Evaluation of the adult with shoulder complaints.
O’Connor FG.Evaluation of elbow pain in adults.
Vaughan A, Hulkower S.Evaluation of the adult with shoulder complaints.
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