What to do if you have pain in your arm from the elbow to the hand? We determine the causes of pain and aches below the elbow

Muscle pain in the arms and legs occurs due to intoxication caused by infectious diseases, immunodeficiency, injury, fatigue after excessive physical activity.

Doctors at the Yusupov Hospital take an individual approach to treating patients suffering from muscle pain. Neurologists and rheumatologists conduct a comprehensive examination of the patient, allowing them to identify the cause of the pain syndrome using modern diagnostic methods.

Pain in arms and muscles

After determining the cause of the pain, treatment is carried out:

• etiological – aimed at eliminating the cause of pain;
• pathogenetic – influencing the mechanisms of pain development;
• symptomatic – reducing the severity of pain.

Rehabilitators, if there is pain in the muscles of the arms and legs, use various types of massage, innovative physiotherapeutic procedures, and do acupuncture. If the cause of pain in the arms or legs is a disease of the spine, gentle manual therapy techniques are used. Patients exercise on mechanical and computerized simulators from leading global manufacturers. A team of rehabilitation clinic specialists collectively draws up a program for strengthening the patient’s muscular corset.

A sign of a wrist sprain is pain in the muscles of the forearm. It occurs for the following reasons:

• after exercise;
• with deformation of the wrist joint;
• due to a domestic injury;
• due to performing the same movement with the hand due to the characteristics of the profession.

Provoking factors include advanced age, damage to the integrity of the tendons, and inflammation in the tissues located near the joint. If a rupture of the wrist ligament is suspected, traumatologists examine the site of injury. The doctor asks about possible causes of pain. Comprehensive diagnostics includes:

• general blood analysis;
• examination of synovial fluid obtained by puncture of the wrist joint;
• radiography;
• magnetic resonance imaging;
• ultrasonography.

First aid for a sprained wrist ligament consists of sequentially performing the following measures:

• the patient should be seated or laid down;
• immobilize using an elastic bandage or improvised means (shawl, scarf);
• if there is increased mobility of the injured joint, apply a splint;
• apply an ice compress to the damaged area;
• Give the patient an anesthetic and take him to the emergency room.

Treatment depends on the severity of the injuries. The doctor administers pain relief to the injured limb. In severe cases, novocaine blockades may be needed. During the rehabilitation period, patients are prescribed physiotherapeutic procedures, manual therapy, and therapeutic exercises.

How to treat hand joints?

All existing treatment methods, both the most modern and traditional, which the Alan Clinic Center for Neurology and Orthopedics uses in its work, are safe and exclude surgical intervention.

The treatment process is always a comprehensive program with an individual approach to each of our patients.
Most of our methods, which are essentially drug-free, are acceptable even for the treatment of infants, pregnant and nursing mothers. We have at our disposal the following methods:

• Manual therapy
• Osteopathy is treatment done by a doctor, with a gentle effect on the musculoskeletal system, nervous and vascular systems, and internal organs.
• Medical massage
• Acupuncture - exposure to biologically active points with microneedles.
• Laser reflexology is a painless effect on reflexogenic zones and points.
• Tsubotherapy is a gentle effect on the reflex points of the body.
• Pharmacopuncture is the introduction of medicinal drugs of natural origin to the source of the problem.
• Plasma therapy is the introduction of the patient’s own purified blood into the site of the disease.
• Isometric kinesiotherapy - individual gymnastic techniques/exercises, according to indications, with elements of joint massage.
• Kinesiotherapy using the Exart installation
• Kinesio taping
• Ozone therapy is treatment with active oxygen.
• Physiotherapy
• Physiotherapy with enzyme preparations
• Medical droppers
• Hirudotherapy - treatment with leeches.
• Botulinum therapy is treatment with botulinum toxin.
• Intra-articular injection of synovial fluid endoprostheses
• Intra-articular blockades

All methods are recognized by official medicine, and doctors using them have appropriate certificates. The decision on the need to use certain medications during the course of treatment is made by the doctor, based on the complexity and severity of the disease, concomitant diseases, as well as the diagnosis.

Pain in the arms from the shoulders to the elbow - causes

Pain in the shoulder muscles occurs due to inflammation of the bone tissue and joints, pathology of the periarticular structures - muscles, ligaments, tendons. Pain syndrome may be a concomitant background symptom of an underlying disease that is not directly related to the musculoskeletal system. That is why doctors at the Yusupov Hospital determine the cause of the pain before starting treatment.

Periarticular pain in the shoulder is most often provoked by instability of the joint, which can be caused by the following factors:

• overexertion, sprain of the shoulder girdle during intense strength training;
• damage, inflammation of the joint capsule;
• stretching of the muscles located near the joint capsule;
• damage to the cartilage of the glenoid cavity, lack of support for the biceps muscle.

Tendonitis is inflammation of the tendons that surround the shoulder joint. Damage to the tendon inevitably leads to pain in the shoulder muscles. The rotator cuff, biceps, infraspinatus, and subscapularis muscles are affected. Pain may occur in the infraspinatus shoulder muscle. The cause of pain is often calcific tendonitis, in which calcifications accumulate in the tendon tissue. Pain in the muscles of the arm on the inside may occur due to inflammation of the tendon of the inner shoulder.

Bursitis is an inflammation of the joint, closely associated with overexertion and sports injuries. In addition to pain in the shoulder, swelling occurs in the area of ​​the joint capsule. Often the pain radiates to the arm, limiting range of motion.

Frozen shoulder syndrome or retractile capsulitis is a sign of reflex dystrophic damage to the shoulder joint capsule with parallel damage to bone structures in the form of osteoporosis. A symptom of the disease is pain in the shoulder muscles.

With glenohumeral periarthrosis, the nature of the pain syndrome can vary from acute, intensifying pain to aching, constant pain. It does not subside with rest, may be accompanied by insomnia, and noticeably limits movements of the upper limb.

Myofascial pain syndrome is a typical disease of muscle tissue in various areas of the body, but its favorite location is the shoulder girdle and lower back. Muscle pain that accompanies tense muscles develops in clearly defined places - trigger points. The cause of pain in the shoulder muscles can be osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, when a secondary complication develops - radiculopathy.

Pain in the shoulder muscles can be caused by the following diseases:

• impingement syndrome;
• polymyalgia rheumatica;
• neuralgic amyotrophy, myelopathy;
• herniated disc of the cervical or thoracic spine.

Pain in the shoulder muscles can be a reflected symptom of diseases of the respiratory system, diaphragm, heart, and liver.

How to relieve shoulder muscle pain? After identifying the cause of pain in the shoulder muscles, doctors at the Yusupov Hospital neutralize all factors that provoke pain - they immobilize the arm and shoulder, and often recommend complete rest. Complex therapy is prescribed, which includes:

• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in tablets, injections and in the form of ointments, gels;
• compresses with a 30% dimexide solution, local anesthetics and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Doctors give corticosteroid injections for arm muscle pain. Homeopathic medicines – traumeel, zell – are injected around the joint. With the help of physiotherapeutic procedures, nutrition of the periarticular zone is improved and metabolic processes are activated. A complex containing B vitamins and microelements is prescribed.

At the rehabilitation clinic, specialists perform muscle massage, including joint development. Therapy for mild muscle pain that develops as a result of muscle strain lasts no more than 3-5 days. Adjusting training exercises, rest and a gentle, warming massage helps relieve pain in the arm muscles.

In other cases, contact the Yusupov Hospital. Doctors will conduct a comprehensive diagnosis, dynamic examination (monitoring the condition of the shoulder girdle in motion) and prescribe a course of medications that reduce the perception of pain, improve the trophism of muscle fibers, and neutralize inflammation.

Why do my hands hurt?

To answer this question, you need to undergo a competent and comprehensive diagnosis at the Alan Clinic Center for Neurology and Orthopedics, which, with its comprehensive approach to identifying joint problems, will help establish your diagnosis. Diagnostics includes the following research methods:

• consultation with an orthopedic doctor;
• special orthopedic tests;
• dynamic active and passive tests;
• local palpation examination of damaged joints;
• assessment of the condition of the musculoskeletal system, posture, gait, uniform distribution of load on joints, range of motion, stability and strength of the joint;
• making and explaining the diagnosis;
• selection of individual complex motivated treatment.

If necessary, the doctor may also prescribe:

• MRI;
• Ultrasound;
• X-ray;
• lab tests;
• diagnostic puncture of the joint.

When should you see a doctor?

You should consult a doctor if you experience prolonged acute pain in your upper limb. If you experience an injury, you should immediately visit a specialist. In case of excessive physical activity, it is advisable to wait 2-3 days, and if the pain does not subside, go to an appointment with a traumatologist. If the hand is swollen, the pain intensifies, the general condition becomes worse, a doctor’s appointment is required.

Why shouldn't you put off visiting a doctor? Many people believe that the pain will go away on its own, but you shouldn’t rely on chance.

ATTENTION! Delay can lead to irreversible consequences, including amputation of the arm.

In order to understand which doctor to contact, it is necessary to determine the suspected cause of the pain. If an injury is recorded, it is necessary to visit a traumatologist; if a chronic process is observed, a consultation with a rheumatologist is most likely required. If in doubt, you should visit a therapist, who will make a possible diagnosis and refer you to a specialist.

How common is pain in the elbow on the inside?

Pain syndrome localized on the inside of the elbow joint is typical for patients performing monotonous movements of moderate intensity, during which tendons and muscles are overstrained and damaged.

When pain occurs in this location, doctors use the term “golfer’s elbow,” which emphasizes who most often experiences this pathological process. Machinists, seamstresses, and assemblers are also at risk. Children rarely suffer from this pathology. Men and women are equally susceptible to pain in the elbow on the inside.

Types of pain in the hands

• Constant and periodic pain.

Pain may always be present or develop under certain circumstances. So, with injuries, discomfort is most often felt when pressing on the hand or moving the joint. And in case of inflammatory or degenerative processes, it can last for hours even after the cessation of exposure.

• The discomfort may be mild or severe.

The nature of burning unbearable pain is usually noted with gout. For carpal tunnel syndrome, dull pain is more typical.

• Painful sensitivity may appear on one hand or be felt symmetrically in both hands.

Pain in the left hand is often characteristic of coronary heart disease. With gout, painful sensations on the right hand will eventually spread to the left limb.

But it is impossible to determine the cause of pain only by its nature or location, since symptoms for various diseases can be similar. For example, pain in the bend of the wrist can be both a consequence of injuries and a symptom of pathologies of the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Because of this, it is difficult for a person to know which doctor to contact about pain. In such cases, you should start with a therapist.

Why you can’t ignore pain in your elbow on the inside

The pain syndrome that occurs against the background of epicondylitis does not pose a threat to the patient’s life, but impairs the functionality of the elbow joint. Ignoring clinical symptoms leads to their aggravation. Over time, it can lead to loss of full working capacity.

Early seeking help from specialists at the Shifa clinic will help prevent further development of the disease. In 95% of cases, thanks to a combination of medication and physiotherapeutic techniques, it is possible to achieve complete elimination of discomfort. Full recovery can take up to 1 month.

What diseases can be associated with pain in the elbow on the inside?

Pain syndrome on the inner surface of the elbow is a condition that in 80% of cases indicates pathology of the medial epicondyle. Due to chronic overstrain of the tendons, local inflammation develops - internal epicondylitis. The pathology is characterized by a chronic course. The pain syndrome intensifies when the arm is turned inward (pronation) and flexed.

In addition to epicondylitis, pain may occur due to:

• traumatic injuries, cuts, gunshot wounds on the inside of the elbow joint;
• inflammation of the synovial bursa (bursitis);
• degenerative diseases (arthrosis);
• compression of the ulnar nerve in its anatomical musculoskeletal canal.

Specialists at the Shifa clinic carry out a differential diagnosis of the causes of the pathology and select the optimal treatment method to eliminate discomfort. Extensive practical experience allows our doctors to quickly and efficiently relieve pain and improve the patient’s well-being.

Which doctor should you consult for pain in the elbow on the inside?

An orthopedic traumatologist treats pain on the inside of the elbow. The doctor assesses the patient’s condition and the severity of the pathological process. Based on the information received, an individual therapeutic program is developed.

Traumatologists at the Shifa clinic use predominantly conservative methods in their practice. This allows you to reliably eliminate pain without additional damage to soft tissues. If necessary, doctors of other specialties are also involved in the treatment process.

In addition, when visiting the Shifa clinic, the patient does not have to wait in queues. Just call the contact numbers and make an appointment. Our specialists will select the safest and most effective method to eliminate the unpleasant symptom.

Causes of pain from elbow to hand

Why do your arms hurt from the elbow to the hand? The causes of pain of this kind are very diverse. In addition to pain, patients most often complain that the right or left arm is swollen and there is a pulling sensation in the muscles. In order to understand why pain syndrome develops and what to do to relieve it, you need to consult a doctor.

Overvoltage

Overstrain of the upper limb is most often caused by monotonous work, which involves constantly repeating stereotypical movements (for example, work on a conveyor belt). In this case, the median nerve is quite often compressed by bone and tendon formations in the wrist. In neurology, this disorder is called carpal tunnel syndrome. often manifests itself in musicians, artists, and also during frequent and prolonged work at the computer.

Sports loads

Frequent and intense training and stress on specific muscle groups lead to tendons becoming inflamed. This leads to permanent pain syndrome when making movements in the upper extremities. In this situation, it is advisable to temporarily refrain from physical activity of any intensity.

IMPORTANT! It is necessary to seek advice from a traumatologist or orthopedist. The prescription of physiotherapy, massage, exercise therapy, and sometimes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in tablets or ointments (indomethacin, nimesulide) demonstrates high effectiveness.

Diseases

Arthritis

Arthritis refers to inflammation of a joint that is triggered by a number of factors. Arthritis is unpleasant because it cannot be cured once and for all. At the same time, my arms ache from the elbow to the hand, the joints are pulled, they ache. The left upper limb is involved in the pathological process later than the right. In order to understand what to do with this disease, you should contact a rheumatologist.

Why is this happening? Causes of arthritis:

• Rheumatic disease
• History of trauma
• Infectious process
• Gout
• Diabetes
• Helminthiasis
• Syphilis

Characterized by incessant aching pain below the elbow and burning. Often the pain syndrome reaches such a level of intensity that a joint blockade develops (the inability to carry out active movements). Since arthritis is famous for its undulating course with remissions and relapses, pain occurs only during periods of exacerbation.

In the joint area there is swelling, hyperemia, and an increase in the temperature of the skin over the joint area. As arthritis progresses, the joint undergoes deformation and contracture develops. It is necessary to seek qualified help from a rheumatologist.

Arthrosis

Osteoarthritis is the slow degeneration of articular cartilage. As the pathology progresses, bones and soft tissues become involved in the process. The joint capsule thickens, which limits the range of motion. The process is asymmetrical; in right-handed people, the process is more often in the joint of the right hand.

Patients are bothered by aching pain in the joint, without clear localization. The pain syndrome is characterized by a high degree of intensity, mobility in the joint is limited over time. The pain tends to intensify with physical activity, and with physical inactivity it subsides. At a severe stage of the disease, the patient cannot sleep due to pain in the joint.

Characterized by limited range of motion and crepitus at the start of activation. The joint is increased in size due to swelling. Over time, the joint becomes deformed and osteophytes grow.

Tendinitis

Tendonitis refers to the inflammation of the tendons of the joints. More often this is the lot of professional athletes. With tendonitis, the joint becomes swollen and achy.

The causative factors are increased loads on the joint over a long period of time, injuries, and an infectious process.

The disease is characterized by severe pain in the affected area, pain increases with changes in weather and with physical activity. Movement in the joints with tendonitis is limited, the joints are sensitive to palpation.

There is local redness (usually the outer side) and swelling in the area of ​​inflammation, the surface of the skin is hot. When performing movements, you can hear the joint creaking.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Tunnel syndrome refers to a neurological pathology due to compression of a nerve by the wrist. In this case, the pain spreads from the elbow to the hand. The syndrome received this name because the bones, muscles and tendons form a kind of canal in which the median nerve lies.

Despite the fact that the nerve is protected by musculoskeletal structures, if the canal is defective, it can be compressed. In case of severe tension of the ligamentous and tendon apparatus, tissue perfusion suffers, and there is a lack of nutrients. When this happens continuously, deformation of the canal develops, its walls become swollen, thickened, and loose. The canal becomes narrower, and the pressure on the nerve increases. As a result, the function of conducting nerve impulses decreases and the motor activity of the hand is disrupted.

Diseases of the spine and back

Osteochondrosis is understood as a degenerative lesion of the spine. In addition to the fact that the pain is localized in the back, the joints of the upper limbs are damaged.

The pain syndrome develops slowly. During the first relapses of the disease, pain is recorded with strong physical stress and is mild. As the pathology progresses, the pain worsens and becomes more pronounced. The sensations predominate at night due to muscle relaxation. Paresthesia is observed in areas of the skin (a feeling of “running goosebumps”).

Neurological disorders

Ulnar neuritis is an inflammation of the nerve. The ulnar nerve innervates the area of ​​the body from the elbow to the wrist. In this case, the nervous regulation of movements in the elbow joint is disrupted, and the arm may go numb.

Severe pain, characterized by a high degree of intensity. It occurs abruptly, potentiating insomnia in the patient. The pain intensifies with movement and does not disappear at rest.

Hand mobility is largely limited. Sensitivity in the affected upper limb decreases, numbness is noted, up to partial loss. When the entire nerve becomes inflamed, limb paralysis may develop. The patient loses the ability to move the hand, feels pain during flexion-extension movements, which provokes the development of muscle atrophy. If you have the above symptoms, you should contact a neurologist.

Injuries

Bone fractures and dislocations in the joints of the elbow and wrist occur due to a fall on an outstretched arm in the vast majority of cases. Patients complain of severe, severe pain in the joints. When damaged joints are activated, the pain becomes unbearable.

There is swelling in the joint area. The limb may be rotated in an uncharacteristic direction. The sound of crepitation, a change in the configuration of the joint, atypical mobility, shortening or lengthening of the arm in comparison with a healthy one indicate a fracture. Spring resistance, constant pain, deformation indicate dislocation.

Other reasons

One of the causes of pain in the arm may be thrombosis of the veins of the upper limb. Due to thrombosis, venous stagnation develops. As a result, a pronounced local pain syndrome is formed.

Arterial insufficiency due to atherosclerosis of the arteries of the upper extremities can cause pain from the elbow to the hand. The plaque clogs or narrows the lumen of the vessel, and limb ischemia and pain develop.

Osteoporosis as a cause of arm pain develops in older people. Bone density decreases with this pathology. This potentiates increased fragility and fragility of bones, frequent cracks and fractures, causing pain at the site of injury.

What could it be?

There are various pathological processes in the joints of the hands. With arthritis, the synovial membrane becomes inflamed, with arthrosis, the cartilage tissue is affected. With periarthritis, the soft tissues surrounding the joint become inflamed, including tendons, muscles and serous bursae. However, the list of possible diseases is not limited to this.

Pain in the hand can be inflammatory or mechanical in nature. In the first case, it intensifies at night and decreases after physical activity. Morning stiffness goes away as the day goes on. This happens with arthritis of various natures. Mechanical pain, on the contrary, occurs after physical activity, is aching in nature, and intensifies towards the end of the day. It is characteristic of arthrosis. What if it's arthritis?

Arthritis is an inflammatory disease that often affects the small joints of the hands and causes chronic pain. The disease has a different etiology, so rheumatologists carefully study the medical history and conduct additional examinations to find out what exactly triggered the pathology.

There are several types of arthritis:

• Rheumatoid.

Occurs most often. The joints of the fingers are affected asymmetrically, the structure of the synovial membrane and surrounding tissues changes. Within an hour after waking up, a person experiences stiffness in his hands, and it is difficult to clench his fingers into a fist. The disease affects not only the interphalangeal joints, but also the wrists. In advanced cases, the hand becomes deformed and fine motor skills suffer.

Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common cause of chronic hand pain

• Reactive arthritis.

The disease develops when there is an immune failure in the body. The immune system attacks the joints of the hands for no reason, but there is always a history of a recent gastrointestinal or genitourinary disease, unlike systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis.

• Psoriatic arthritis.

The joints of the hand become inflamed due to psoriasis, a non-infectious skin disease. The pathology affects the terminal phalanges of the fingers and nails. The fingers turn red and increase in size, the nail plates are destroyed, and in 5% of cases the finger shortens. Arthritis of psoriatic nature develops asymmetrically. It is not difficult to diagnose because dry red plaques are visible on the skin.

Psoriasis can also cause arthritis in the hands

• Arthritis in systemic lupus erythematosus.

It occurs quite often and affects one or more joints – small and large. The disease has other characteristic symptoms - a rash on the cheekbones, pleurisy or kidney damage. If the disease becomes chronic, the fingers become deformed. In the morning there is a feeling of stiffness in movements.

• Infectious arthritis.

If an infection enters the joint cavity, infectious, or purulent, arthritis develops. This happens with open injuries with damage to the skin or if an infectious agent in any organ is transferred with the blood to the joint. The joint increases in size, turns red and warms, and purulent contents are released from the wound.

Arthritis of the hands is treated by a rheumatologist

What is the pain in the elbow on the inside?

The basis of the pain syndrome in this localization is inflammation of the structures of the elbow on the medial (inner) side. The result of this reaction is constant irritation of small nerve fibers that transmit pathological signals to the brain.

According to statistics, 70-80% of patients with pain in the area of ​​the inner surface of the elbow can tolerate it. It is characterized by:

• monotony;
• slow increase in intensity;
• connection with physical activity - at rest, patients may not present any complaints.

Bending and turning the arm inward increases the discomfort. The pain can also spread to the shoulder area, axillary area, forearm, and thumb. This condition is often chronic.

Severe pain syndrome, requiring the use of analgesics, occurs with traumatic joint injuries. In this case, therapy is aimed at restoring the anatomy of the joint, which will lead to gradual pain relief.

Treatment

Help before diagnosis

Fractures and dislocations are fixed with a splint and cold is applied. For all injuries and diseases accompanied by swelling of the limb, an elevated position of the hand is recommended. For intense pain, an analgesic is given. In most cases, pain decreases with rest, so patients are advised to reduce physical activity (except for cases where the pain goes away with movement). In case of increasing acute pain, hyperthermia, or intoxication, an urgent consultation with a doctor is indicated.

Conservative therapy

For dislocations and fractures, local anesthesia, reduction, and fixation with a plaster cast are performed. Patients with injuries and diseases of the hand are prescribed:

• Protective mode.
  The patient may be recommended immobilization with a plaster cast or scarf, the use of orthoses, and load limitation.
• Drug therapy.
  For arthritis, arthrosis, and some other pathologies, NSAIDs are used, for infectious processes - antibiotics, for neurological disorders - neurometabolites. If intense pain persists, blockades with glucocorticoids are performed.
• Non-drug methods.
  They provide massage, exercise therapy, physiotherapeutic procedures, including electrophoresis, UHF, and mud therapy. Laser therapy, magnetic therapy, and other techniques are successfully used.