Arm Pain & Hand Pain

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Signs & Symptoms

• Pain ranging from dull to severe. Increased pain with movement.
• Numbness
• Weakness
• Tenderness
• Stiffness
• Swelling

Causes

There are many causes of arm and/or hand pain.

Common causes are:

• Arthritis
• Repetitive motion injuries (RMIs), such as carpal tunnel syndrome
• Tendonitis
• Circulation problems, such as angina and a heart attack
• Skin rashes. Skin wounds. Infections.
• Injuries, such as sprains, strains, and broken or dislocated bones

Treatment

Treatment depends on the cause and how severe the problem is.

• A bone sticks out or bones in the injured area make a grinding sound.
• The injured body part looks crooked or the wrong shape.
• After a crushing injury, pain increases.
• You can’t move the injured body part or put weight on it.
• The injured area is blue, pale, numb, or feels cool, but the same limb on the other side of your body does not.

• Burning pain in a finger, especially at night and/or when you bend your wrist and fingers upward then downward
• Shooting pains from your hand to your wrist and sometimes to your forearm
• Numbness and tingling in your first 3 fingers and thumb
• Hand pain, numbness, and tingling for more than 2 weeks
• You haven’t been able to make a fist for over a week.

• Your shoulder hurts, is stiff, and is hard to move.
• You have pain, tenderness, and limited motion in your shoulder, arm, or hand.
• Tenderness and pain over an elbow
• Pain when you twist your arm or hand, such as when you use a screwdriver or play tennis or pickleball
• A weak grip
• Any sign of an infection

• Puffiness, hardening, and thickening of the skin
• Your skin looks shiny or waxy or blue in color.
• Coldness and numbness