Suffering From Periodic Fairly Severe Pain In Arm With Tingling Hands. Cause And Treatment?

Brief Answer:
Could be due to cervical disc disease

Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing to XXXXXXX

Based upon the description of symptoms, you could be suffering from CERVICAL DISC DISEASE with RADICULOPATHY.

The conservative management of this condition is as follows -

* Rest: A soft cervical collar is advisable. It should not be used for more than a week or two as it may worsen the condition with prolonged usage.

* Medicines: Analgesic are needed in the acute phase. Muscle relaxants are essential for relieving muscle spasms once the acute pain subsides. Neurotropic vitamins like METHYLCOBALAMINE (activated Vit B12) or PREGABALIN will help in alleviating the neuropathic pain.

* Cervical traction: may enlarge the disc space, permitting the prolapse to subside. Intermittent cervical traction for not more than 30 minutes at a time. Weight upto 8kg can be added.

* Physiotherapy: Once the acute phase of pain has subsided, Isometric strengthening exercises of the paravertebral muscles are started. Moist heat can be useful

If the above measures fail to provide pain relief then an MRI scan of cervical spine is necessary to diagnose the exact problem.

Hope I have justified your query. Happy to help any more clarfications.

Regards

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Brief Answer:
Could be Disc disease or any pathology in the arm

Detailed Answer:
Hi, Nice to hear from you.

Tingling sensation always indicate either a nerve irritation or compression. The most common cause of pain in the arm (brachialgia) along with SIMULTANEOUS tingling sensation in the hand is highly suggestive of a Cervical disc disease (though you may not have neck pain).

If your pain in the arm & tingling sensation in the hand are NOT OCCURING SIMULTANEOUSLY, then both the symptoms could be due two different entities.

*If your pain is constant without any relation to your movements of the shoulder joint, propably it could be arising from the bone (HUMERUS). An xray of the arm will exclude any bony lesion, if present.
* If the pain is associated with any movement involving the arm or shoulder joint, then propably it could be arising from the soft tissues like muscles, tendons or ligaments. An MRI scan of the involved area is necessary to diagnose these conditions.

Coming to your tingling sensation, It could be due to nerve irritation or compression either in the cervical spine, at the level of brachial plexus (in the axilla), in the arm , at the level of elbow joint, in the forearm etc. A detailed clinical examination and appropriated investigations (like EMG & Nerve conduction study) are needed to establish the diagnosis.

Hope I have addressed all your issues.

Have a great day

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