Arm pain is a common and natural result of exercise or repetitive motion. Symptoms include pain, swelling, or cramping. Minor problems will usually resolve on their own. Although you should see a doctor if you have severe pain, there are many things you can do at home to manage the pain and support your arm's recovery.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Determining the Cause
Step 1. Notice if you just sprained it
The arm will be dislocated when the tissue is stretched, stretched, or torn. Symptoms include pain, swelling, bruising, limited movement, and a loud noise when the injury occurs. A sprain is a temporary condition and the tissue is not permanently damaged. Usually, a sprained arm will heal within a few days.
Step 2. Determine if you have elbow pain
This condition, also known as tendonitis, causes pain in the elbow area. The cause is overuse of the muscles and tendons around the elbow joint. The pain lasts for several weeks or even months, but with treatment, the injured arm will recover more quickly.
Step 3. Check for symptoms of bursitis
Bursitis is inflammation of the bursa, which are small fluid pockets in the joint that protect the joint. Under normal conditions, the amount of fluid in the bursa is very small, but due to injury, it swells and is very painful, causing bursitis. Bursitis usually occurs due to repetitive movements of the arm, and the pain usually begins to subside within a few weeks. Swelling sometimes lasts longer, but also gets better slowly.
- The area of the bursitis looks red or swollen, and hurts when pressed.
- Cases of bursitis with injuries that damage the skin can become infected and require antibiotics.
Step 4. Consider nerve pain as the cause
The nerves in the spine are sometimes compressed, especially in old age. Symptoms include pain that radiates from the neck to the arm, or a needle-like sensation. The pain fluctuates from day to day, but usually improves with the use of over-the-counter pain relievers, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and exercise.
Pinched nerves can also occur in the arm. This condition is called carpal tunnel syndrome if it occurs in the wrist, and cubital tunnel syndrome if it occurs in the elbow. Symptoms usually include pain and tingling in the arm or hand
Step 5. Recognize that you may have a repetitive strain injury (RSI)
RSI can occur if you always use your arms or hands for work, such as factory work, manual handling, heavy machinery operation, and computer work. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a type of nerve injury caused by repetitive movements such as typing. The company can improve conditions and modify the work area to prevent the development of your condition. For example, by offering an adjustable chair or moving the work platform so you don't have to reach too high.
Step 6. Check for angina symptoms
Angina occurs when the arteries leading to the heart harden and narrow. Symptoms include chest pain that feels heavy, dull, or tight, and can radiate to the left arm, neck, jaw, or back for several minutes. Pain usually occurs when you are active or stressed. See your doctor if you have chest pain or pain in your left arm related to exercise.
In particular, women usually experience only "classic" angina symptoms, such as arm pain
Method 2 of 4: Resting the Arm
Step 1. Rest the painful arm
Don't exercise, lift, type, or anything else that makes the pain worse. Tissue must be relaxed in order to recover and to prevent further injury. Stop all activities that will make the pain worse, and try to use only the injured arm as little as possible.
Step 2. Use an elastic pressure bandage or bandage
To reduce swelling and protect your arm, you can wrap the area with an elastic bandage. Be careful not to bandage too tightly to avoid further swelling. Loosen the bandage that is too tight.
- Signs of a bandage being too tight are numbness, tingling, increased pain, a cold sensation, or swelling around the bandage.
- Talk to your doctor if you have to wear the bandage for more than 48–72 hours.
Step 3. Remove all jewelry
The arms, hands, and fingers may swell after an injury. Make sure you remove rings, bracelets, watches, and other jewelry. As the swelling gets bigger, the jewelry will be more difficult to remove and put additional pressure on the nerves or restrict blood flow.
Step 4. Use the arm sling
Arm slings help protect and elevate the arm. Arm slings also take pressure away from the injured area for more comfort. Call your doctor if you need to use the arm sling for more than 48 hours.
Step 5. Raise your arms
Position your arm over your heart to reduce swelling. When sitting or lying down, you can support your arm on a pillow placed at your side or against your chest. However, do not raise the arm position so high that it interferes with blood flow.
Method 3 of 4: Coping with Pain
Step 1. Use a cold compress
You need to apply a cold compress as soon as possible to prevent swelling. There are many cold therapies that you can buy at the drugstore to apply to the painful area. You can also use a frozen vegetable bag or towel filled with ice. Cold compresses can be used for up to 20 minutes several times a day.
Step 2. Use heat
You can apply a hot compress 48–72 hours after the injury. However, avoid using it while the arm is still swollen. You can also use hot and cold compresses alternately.
Avoid heat for the first 48 hours as heat can increase swelling. The heat here includes hot baths and compresses
Step 3. Take NSAIDs
Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and acetaminophen can be used to help with pain and swelling. Follow the directions on the package and do not exceed the recommended dose. Never give aspirin to children.
Step 4. Massage the painful area
You can apply light pressure to rub or massage the painful area. Pressure can relieve pain and increase blood flow to speed up the repair of damaged tissue. If the area is still too sore, don't massage until the pain subsides.
- One way to massage is to use a tennis ball. Roll the ball over the area of pain and when you feel a tender spot, roll it slowly up to 15 times.
- You can also try massage services from professional therapists who have proven to be very helpful.
Step 5. Visit a doctor
Consult any questions or concerns related to arm pain. If the pain is uncontrollable, lasts more than two weeks, or gets worse, you should see a doctor. Also, if you can't use your arm normally, have a fever, or start to feel numb and tingling, it's time to call a medical professional.
Method 4 of 4: Helping Arm Recovery
Step 1. Listen to body cues
Don't force your arm to move or lift anything if it hurts. Pain tells you that you need time to recuperate. If your arm hurts, rest so that the damaged tissue can be repaired. Do not force yourself to do work that aggravates the injury.
Step 2. Drink water
Sometimes, dehydration causes muscle cramps that are felt in the arms. Drink more when you exercise or are outside in hot weather. Electrolyte replacement drinks or sports drinks can be partially dissolved in water and used to replace salt, sugar, and other minerals. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Step 3. Eat well
You need a balanced diet to get all the vitamins and minerals you need each day. Lack of some minerals such as calcium and magnesium can cause muscle cramps. If you think you're not getting enough minerals from your diet, consider a whole-food-based multivitamin or talk to your doctor about taking calcium or magnesium supplements.
You must include dairy products and green leafy vegetables in your daily menu to get the vitamins and minerals you need
Step 4. Reduce stress
Stress can weaken the immune system and make it harder for the body's functions to recover. When you're injured, your body focuses on repairing damaged tissue, not on regulating a stressed system. So, apply meditation and deep breathing exercises to speed up recovery.
Step 5. Learn good movement and posture
When performing certain activities, you must apply the correct position and movement to avoid stressing the muscles, joints, or tendons. If you do the same arm movement over and over throughout the day, consider other ways to avoid RSI. Sometimes, professional help is needed to evaluate arm movement while working or performing other actions, to make sure the movement is not causing problems.
- Make sure that the equipment you use to exercise is correct for your ability level and size.
- If your job causes muscle, tendon, or joint pain, contact the HR department to discuss modifications and other ways to work on assignments or get another position within the company.
Step 6. Don't smoke
Smoking can slow down the recovery process. Smoking habits will reduce blood flow and inhibit the entry of oxygen to the damaged tissue. Smoking also increases the chance of developing bone problems, such as osteoporosis, which can lead to more serious injuries.
Step 7. Stretch
Try doing light, slow stretches on the painful area. Don't move suddenly, and don't stretch beyond comfortable limits. Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds, and repeat if you wish.
- The triceps stretch can be done by raising both hands above the head and bending one knee. Grasp the bent wrist with the other hand, and pull it toward your back. Repeat for the other arm.
- Stretch your biceps by bringing your hands behind your back and straightening your elbows. Bend forward, moving your hands toward the ceiling.
- You can stretch your shoulders by placing one arm in front of your chest and holding your forearm with the other. Pull your arms toward your shoulders. Repeat with the other side.
- To stretch your wrists, cross your arms. Pull down with the hand on top so that the wrist is flexible. Repeat with the other hand.
Warning
- If the muscle or tendon is seriously injured, you may need surgery or physical therapy.
- If you feel pain, tingling, or numbness in your left arm and a feeling of pressure or squeezing in your chest, call the emergency room immediately.
