sudden onset of nerve pain in arm

[tab9496]

Hi, I'm new to the board and looking for advice. A couple of weeks ago my arm started to hurt, at first just like I had slept on it wrong or something like that. It progressed to weakness in my hand (over the first couple of days but that has now stabilized) and increasing pain which feels like nerve pain. It started on the upper part of my arm just below the elbow, then progressed to going down my arm and now has moved back up to my elbow and shoulder/neck area. Tried antiinflammatories which didn't help, went to a hand/arm doc who gave me a padded sleeve thing to wear. It has gotten much worse over the past week since I saw the doctor. He said if it doesn't get better he would suggest nerve studies. The only way it feels any better is to ice it. I am a nurse and am constantly using my arm. Any thoughts?

[Jo*mar]

Any trauma or any kind of injury in those areas recently or maybe in the past?

Some of it sounds similar to thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) we have a forum for that where you can read more to see if it might fit for you.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum24.html

useful sticky thread for TOS-
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread84.html

Generally the c spine would be checked and if no issues there then TOS may be looked at more closely.

Have you ever caught a falling patient? Or often lifted moved them with poor positioning for you? In the past other nurses did aquire TOS from those exact things.

[Leesa]

This may sound like a stupid question, but does you thumb hurt? If it does it could be carpal tunnel syndrome. That DOES make the elbow hurt something AWFUL. And it does travel up the arm, and can even make the shoulder hurt!!!

It could be some sort of repetitive strain injury. I'd see a neurologist to see what's going on. You're going to need some nerve studies done. Make the appt. as soon as possible so you won't risk any permanent nerve damage. That is a possibility!!

Best of luck and please let us know what they find out, will you? We like to know if we were right or not. LOL Hugs, Lee

[tab9496]

I am getting really scared by this. My shoulder hurts very badly this morning and I want to address it, but I just started a new job (literally last week) and cannot take any time off, plus my insurance does not kick in for 3 months. I have insurance from my old job til the end of the month but I'm sure I can't get anything done in the next week and even if I did this will now be considered a pre-existing condition. I don't know what to do.

[Jo*mar]

You can try some self help exercises, gentle stretches and posture awareness.
Some or all of those may be helpful.
Heat/ice, extra fluids, belly breathing, yoga corpse pose...
Do gentle range of motion so you don't get frozen shoulder, that can take up to a year to resolve.

The TOS forum has many ideas for self help posted, as well as many video links in the useful sticky thread.
There is a sticky thread about trigger points too, and that is something you can do for yourself with finger, thumb, tennis ball or other small ball against the floor or a wall.

Also some cash based therapy may help you feel a bit better until you are covered by the new ins, often cash pay is discounted and keeps the treatment off the records.
expert physical therapy & evaluation
expert chiropractor evaluation
massage