In most cases, pain in the arms, unilateral or bilateral, is associated with physical activity, that is, muscle pain. Sometimes the symptom may occur due to circulatory pathology or injury. There is another category of discomfort in the hands: pain and discomfort associated with sleep. What reasons could they have?
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"Radicular" pain
Pain in one or both arms that occurs at night or after waking up is caused by radicular syndrome.
When the lower cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae are affected, their relative position is disrupted (there may be displacement, a decrease in the height of the intervertebral discs). Because of this, the spinal roots emerging from the spinal canal are compressed, which causes pain along the damaged nerve. If the affected root is “responsible” for the innervation of the tissues of the upper limb, then unpleasant sensations arise in the hands.
Such pains often occur at night. With radicular syndrome, being at rest is no less a significant provocateur of pain than physical stress. At night, due to a slowdown in blood circulation, venous stagnation and edema form in the tissues. As a result, the roots are compressed more strongly, and pain appears.
An uncomfortable sleeping place, a mattress that is too soft or hard that prevents complete muscle relaxation, or a pillow that is not the right height can also cause discomfort in the arms.
Causes of seizures in different parts of the body
Muscle spasm in a specific area of the body is caused by specific factors. Most often it occurs in the legs. The culprits may be overexertion (including due to intense training), varicose veins and hypothermia.
It can cramp not only the calf muscle, but also the femoral and even gluteal muscles. Sometimes the unpleasant sensation will spread throughout the entire leg.
Abdominal cramps are also common because most abdominal organs are composed of highly contractile smooth muscle cells. Most often, the organs of the digestive system spasm. This is how the well-known abdominal pain occurs. In women, contractions of the uterus (during menstruation, pregnancy or gynecological diseases) cannot be ruled out.
Muscle spasms in the back indicate diseases of the musculoskeletal system. This could be osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, degenerative changes in the spine.
Arm pain due to restless legs syndrome
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disease characterized by unpleasant sensations in the limbs, including pain. These symptoms usually occur in the evening or in the first half of the night and force a person to move his legs. When moving, they pass, and at rest they resume.
In most cases, RLS is associated with discomfort in the legs. However, already in the first description of this disease, made by Thomas Willis in 1672, it is noted that symptoms can appear not only from the lower, but also from the upper extremities. The modern RLS Severity Rating Scale test necessarily evaluates discomfort in both the legs and arms.
To confirm or exclude this disease, you need to contact a somnologist.
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.
Patient Questions About Restless Legs Syndrome
My legs twitch when falling asleep, what should I do?
If your legs twitch when falling asleep, you need to figure out the cause of this phenomenon. Convulsive contractions of the muscles of the lower extremities can be caused by a number of reasons. First you need to visit the following specialists: a neurologist and phlebologist. An ultrasound duplex examination of the veins of the lower extremities must be performed. Having understood the cause of the condition, it will be possible to completely get rid of convulsive twitching at night.
How to treat restless legs syndrome?
To understand how to treat restless legs syndrome, it is necessary to find out the cause of its occurrence. This will require consultations with the following specialists: a neurologist, phlebologist and therapist.
My legs twist a lot at night, what should I do?
If you experience severe leg cramps at night, seek medical attention. A very common cause of this condition is chronic venous insufficiency, complicating varicose veins.
Pain in legs at night when lying down, which doctor should I go to?
If you have pain in your legs at night when lying down, the first doctor you should visit is a phlebologist. At the beginning, it is necessary to exclude venous pathology. Perhaps a phlebologist will completely solve your problem.
What to do if your legs ache and you need to solve the problem?
First, you will have to figure out which doctor to go to. You can't do it without the help of a professional. To do this, you need to silently study the symptoms, catching the slightest differences and understand what is happening to you. Here are some small tips to help you.
When to go to a phlebologist?
As a rule, from narrow specialists, it is this doctor who sees the majority of patients with symptoms of restless legs syndrome. So, if you have vascular disorders - “stars”, varicose veins, by the end of the day your legs swell, by the evening a feeling of painful heaviness appears in them, one of your relatives has varicose veins - you need to contact a phlebologist. The doctor will examine your legs and conduct an ultrasound examination of the veins of the lower extremities, after which he will prescribe appropriate treatment. However, be prepared and understand that a competent phlebologist may suspect other causes of restless legs syndrome in you and refer you to the appropriate specialist.
When to see an orthopedist?
Pain in the feet and legs, transient swelling in the ankle joints, a feeling of heat in the feet, cramps in the calves can be associated with flat feet and deformation of the arch of the foot. You should not get your hopes up because once upon a time a surgeon examined you and there was no flatfoot. Over time, the foot can become deformed, this is a kind of our retribution for walking upright. If you notice the symptoms described above and - moreover - your usual shoes become uncomfortable for you, your big toes are deviated to the side, a characteristic “bone” appears - a protrusion at the big toe - you should consult an orthopedist. The doctor will recommend appropriate insoles, shoes and procedures.
When to go to a neurologist?
There is a certain spectrum of neurological conditions, which can also cause painful, aching, shooting sensations in the legs, and various kinds of sensory disturbances. As a rule, they are a manifestation of problems in the lumbar spine and a consequence of injuries, hypothermia, inflammatory changes, pathology of the intervertebral discs, etc. Nerve fibers can also be affected in diabetes mellitus and other systemic diseases. If you have previously had back problems or other conditions associated with pathology of the peripheral nervous system, you should contact a neurologist. The doctor will prescribe appropriate examination and treatment, and recommend preventive measures.
When to go to a vascular surgeon?
Not only veins, but also arteries can cause leg pain. This is, as a rule, a typical pain syndrome that occurs due to oxygen starvation of muscles and other tissues due to narrowing of the lumen of the arteries. Pain occurs during exertion - long walking, climbing stairs and forces a person to stop for a while and stop moving. Gradually, the distance that a person can cover without pain decreases, a feeling of coldness appears in the feet, and in warm weather the toes freeze. If you have such symptoms, you should contact a specialized specialist - a vascular surgeon.