Does this describe your pain?
- Pain when opening a door, shaking hands, or making a fist
- Clicking, grating, burning or pain moving your arm or shoulder
- Weakness or pain when trying to lift things above your head
- Shoulder pain at night, or when sleeping with arm above or under head
- Chronic/frequent numbness, tingling, or “funny bone” feeling in elbow
- Warmth, redness, swelling, or stiffness in the arm, elbow, or hand
Is your pain…
- Localized to the elbow, wrist, hand, or a specific part of your shoulder
- Chronic, just when you move, or seemingly at random
- Acute and debilitating, “gets in the way”, or “I can live with it, but…”
- Only present with specific activities like lifting heavy items or holding a cup
- Confined to just one side of your body, or “all over”
What causes most arm and shoulder pain?
People usually experience arm, elbow, wrist, hand, and shoulder pain, stiffness, numbness, or tingling due to accident, injury or misuse, or overexertion.
Sometimes arm and shoulder pain is actually referred, or transmitted, from injuries in the neck or back.
Which arm and shoulder diagnoses are most common?
- Loss of mobility and function following fractures and dislocations
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Repetitive stress injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome
- Pinched nerves
- Sprains, strains and torn ligaments
- Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
- Fibromyalgia and other chronic health issues
- Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
How can I treat my pain myself?
If pain isn’t severe, it usually makes sense to try self-care strategies for a week or so. Then, if you still don’t feel better, call us to see a pain specialist so you can get a diagnosis of what’s actually wrong, and a treatment plan to get you back on the path to feeling good.
RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) can help, as can ergonomic solutions such as wrist rests for your workspace. NSAIDs like over-the-counter ibuprofen and topical analgesics or capsaicin creams may also provide some relief.
How can Randolph Pain Relief & Wellness treat my pain?
Do you already know your diagnosis and the kind of treatment you need?
Just schedule a prompt appointment with the appropriate specialty.
Not sure what’s wrong, how to treat it, or prior therapies haven’t helped?
We offer two options:
- Schedule an initial diagnostic assessment, or
- Call our Pain Navigator service, at no charge
