Wear & tear caused by daily activities and sports injuries remain the top causes of arm pain. Regardless of the trigger, it would help if you saw a doctor at the earliest. If the conventional treatments, such as painkillers and physical therapy, fail to resolve the symptoms, a pain doctor may consider advanced interventional and restorative therapies. For patients located in Woodstock, they can consider visiting the alliance spine & pain clinic for assistance. Here’s an overview of dealing with arm pain and available treatments.
Factors and conditions responsible for arm pain
Some of the common conditions responsible for arm pain include ligament sprains, tendinitis, arthritis, tennis elbow & golfer’s elbow, fractures, biceps tendon rupture, and ulnar nerve entrapment. While tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow may sound similar conditions, both affect the different tendons that connect forearm muscles to the elbow. If you have unusual pain in your left arm and are experiencing chest pain, it could be a sign of a heart attack. Don’t wait in such circumstances, and call 911 soon.
Reviewing the symptoms
Besides the obvious and often debilitating pain in the arms, you may have other symptoms, including bruising, swelling, tingling, numbness, loss of strength in arms, and reduced range of motion. If your symptoms don’t resolve or get better in a few days, you may need to think beyond pain-reducing medications.
Understanding interventional and regenerative therapies
Because pain is triggered by a specific set of nerves, your pain doctor may consider various interventional and regenerative therapies to reduce the symptoms. Common techniques and treatments used for arm pain include spinal cord stimulation, nerve blocks, and radiofrequency ablation, called interventional therapies. Restorative therapies are used to trigger healing inside the body by repairing and rebuilding tissues in the arms. Typical treatments include platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC).
Other essential aspects
Whether you choose conventional painkillers or interventional and regenerative therapies for arm pain, you should be aware of whether the treatment plan is intended for long-term relief. A painkiller may help reduce some of the immediate symptoms, but there is a high chance that the underlying factor is still intact, which means you may experience pain later. Talk to your pain doctor about the best ways to restore your entire range of motion and get back to your normal routine.
There is no one therapy for every patient, which is why the diagnosis is essential.
