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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Pain In The Left Arm?

Hello, I have been having pain in my left arm for quite a while. I first thought that it was because of my birth control pills. However, I changed pills, and now I stopped pills all together. The pain is not really painful. It feels as if I need to stretch out my arm , almost like a cramp, or like tired muscles, or just like I can feel that my arm is there . It goes from my shoulder to my hand, and sometimes my fingers tingle when I stretch my arm straight and flex my hand (infrequently). I just drank a Monster energy drink, and now my left arm is tingling again. When I was on Ortho Try-Cyclen Lo birth control, the pain was more frequent, and would stop be from being comfortable when i was laying in certain positions. When I switched birth controls, the pain subsided a lot. However it still comes back sometimes. What could this be? PS. It sometimes feels like tightness from my neck down my left arm, and sometimes just the shoulder to the elbow.
posted on Thu, 5 Jun 2014
Twitter Tue, 17 Jun 2014 Answered on
Twitter Tue, 17 Jun 2014 Last reviewed on
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Orthopaedic Surgeon, Joint Replacement,  's  Response
Hello,
Thanks for your query.
What you are experiencing is called 'Radiculopathy'. It basically suggests entrapment of a nerve root in your cervical spine in its origin or course. It is somehow not so uncommon now in younger population and we like to call it industrial neck pain, since its prediliction towards people working in computer related industry.
It can be caused by lifting weights, episodes of over-exertion during work, long hours on computer, inappropriate posture while sleeping or sitting, lack of proper nutrition-exercises-rest-recreation or any other relevant past medical history.

If it has been persistent or even increasing since few days, you need to visit your orthopaedician. Depending upon the clinical findings they might ask you to get an MRI done, which shall help establish a diagnosis and in turn allow one to formulate a treatment plan.

I do hope that you have found something helpful and I will be glad to answer any further query.
Take care
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What Causes Pain In The Left Arm?

Hello, Thanks for your query. What you are experiencing is called Radiculopathy . It basically suggests entrapment of a nerve root in your cervical spine in its origin or course. It is somehow not so uncommon now in younger population and we like to call it industrial neck pain, since its prediliction towards people working in computer related industry. It can be caused by lifting weights, episodes of over-exertion during work, long hours on computer, inappropriate posture while sleeping or sitting, lack of proper nutrition-exercises-rest-recreation or any other relevant past medical history. If it has been persistent or even increasing since few days, you need to visit your orthopaedician. Depending upon the clinical findings they might ask you to get an MRI done, which shall help establish a diagnosis and in turn allow one to formulate a treatment plan. I do hope that you have found something helpful and I will be glad to answer any further query. Take care