NF -pinched nerve in arm

[scuro]

I've had a pinched nerve for a while now...from up in my left armpit, shoulder, down the arm and into the two small fingers. I don't have bad pain....don't notice it much until I try to do something or sleep on that side. More activity makes it worse. I'm thinking of chirotherapy. Thoughts...experiences?

[Riparian]

I think physiotherapy may help as well? Hope its not your casting arm

Edited January 2, 2008 by Riparian

[irishfield]

Reflexology

[danbo]

see a doc. Bursitis?

[scuro]

Hope its not your casting arm

 

It's not and neither do I do much physical work day to day...so I don't see this as a repetitive injury type thing.

Edited January 2, 2008 by scuro

[uglyfish]

physio won;t help a pinched nerve. it'll either A) work itself out

 

come and go as mine does in my shoulder

 

C) require surgery if its severe enough.

 

best thing to do if its not terrible, relax it, take pain and anti-inflamitory medication, and put heat on the area.

 

if u can afford it, or have coverage... a good accupuncturist can help too. and u would be amazed at how well it can work. my father has a pinched ciatic nerve in his back, and he had it flare up and he was crippled by it for 3 days, we had to help him do everything he went for the treatment, and was able to walk out after 1 session, couple more and he was good to go. look into it, its well worth it to try. i had it done for a knee and should problem as well, amazing results

[bigfish1965]

The compression is likely occurring at the neck area unless you have a torn rotator cuff or similar injury. Try some neck stretching exercises or yoga (the best) for relief. Also try using some type of NSAID like Ibuprofen (Advil).

[lew]

Thoughts...experiences?

 

My 1st thought was perhaps you should give your symptoms to your doctor, rather than a bunch of fishermen, course I may be wrong

[pikehunter]

Ulnar Nerve compression, this nerve serves the 2 smaller fingers. There are many links to this problem. Seek your Doc's. advise and here is a link.

 

Ulnar Nerve

 

Another

 

Cubital

 

Beside having severe Carpel Tunnel in both hands, compression of the Median Nerve I also share the Ulnar Nerve problem with you. I just live with it as I am fed up with the medical professions solutions for Carpel Tunnel and can't be bothered with seeking their help.

 

I wish you well with it.

[scuro]

My 1st thought was perhaps you should give your symptoms to your doctor, rather than a bunch of fishermen, course I may be wrong

 

That one made me laugh...it's hard to see your Dr. in my town. The best way for me to see him was to make an appointment at 9am the Wednesday before Christmas so I could line up at the walk in clinic that Saturday. Never had time then and should have taken the appointment for the 4th. Seems like the problem I have is one that can't be cured by a magic bullet so I am doubting a Dr. will do anything immediately for me but get me on better medication. If I'm lucky I will get 15 minutes time with him for what looks to be a chronic problem. In talking to people, this tends to also be a longer term thing so what better group of people to quiz then fishermen? They do the physical movements that I see as most critical for living, I'm guessing a number of them are in my age bracket, and they display great pragmatic and information gathering skills in spades! Hate to say it but I find it also best to go into the Dr. office with a problem like this knowing what you want to do, and then when the issue has been determined, suggest a specific specialist. I know this may sound like an assbackwards approach. Yet I think I've gotten the best info I will get when I talked to someone who had this problem, and he described the weaker small fingers and what worked best for him.

 

...and I bought a new muskie rod and reel for Christmas

Edited January 2, 2008 by scuro

[lew]

scuro, I wan't trying to be a smartdonkey with you, but if you've got a medical problem, a doctor is who you need to talk to, even it takes time to see one in your town, rather than a bunch of strangers.

 

Just take a look at the above responses to your question, it's been suggested you should try physio, reflexology, acccupuncture, anti-inflamatories, advil and heat and I doubt any of the above posters has a medical degree.

 

I've had a pinched nerve myself, so I can certainly understand what your going thru, and it took some major surgury on my spine and several days in the hospital to get it fixed up again.

 

I'm just suggesting you seek advice from a qualified doctor before taking advice from well meaning laymen.

[wallyboss]

Like Lew said, don't take our advice. Ihad a similar problem and I was told by my Doctor to use ice packs on it. Because it was inflamation he told me never to use heat!!!!! I kept dropping my tools because of my 2 fingers in one hand always being numb. Seems like my issue was in my elbow and it shot pain up to my shoulder. I lived with that for 1 1/2 years. I used to put a tether line on my rods as it happened a few times that I just couldn't hold on to it on casts.

Edited January 2, 2008 by wallyboss

[Fang]

Like Lew said, Be careful

 

I went through this a couple years ago but in the right arm - my symptons were very severe. Had to go to Emergency room at 2 am it was so bad but exactly as you describe. Armpit down to the 2 small fingers were on fire with pain. ER doctor told me pinched nerve as well as my family doctor 2 days later.

 

Symptons never lessened. Went for a 3rd opinion and it turned out to be complete C5-6-7 disc rupture. I ended up seeing a neck specialist and then on to a neuro-surgeon and asked a ton of questions

 

When you get into the doctor make him/her listen and question them about possible neck strain/injuries. If the 2 small fingers tingle like they have fallen asleep that is a sign you might be dealing with a disc compression.

 

I'm no doctor but after going through what I did I spent a lot of time learning about this to make sure I was making the right choices.

[douG]

Please find a practitioner that does Active Release Therapy. If you were an American, your health insurance would not likely cover surgery for soft tissue problems like yours UNLESS YOU HAD TRIED ACTIVE RELEASE THERAPY!!!!!

[douG]

I mean it.

[Canuck2fan]

Here is what I did when I have had pinched nerve injuries and for me it worked your mileage may vary as they say. I have had two different pinched nerves over a 15 yr period. The first one was mid back meaning that I couldn't take a full breath for 14 weeks without almost passing out from the pain. The second and latest one was on the sciatic nerve on my right hip. In both cases the traditional medical establishment was of no use. They wanted to medicate me into oblivion or cut me to smithereens..... What gave me instantanious relief in both cases was a trip to the chiropractor. The relief in each case was amazing after just one visit however to fully correct the problem the first time took 4 weeks of 3 visits a week then a further 3 weeks at 2 times a week. Which was expensive enough but back then OHIP did pay some of the cost. The expense was better than what my "real" doctor wanted to do as in have a surgeon cut me open. When you are 29 having your back sliced into should be a last resort, or so I thought. Not that doctor though.... He said he wouldn't bother with a chiropractor. One morning when I couldn't even stand up I thought what have I got to lose. I went to a chiropractor, he did one adjustment I went to my buddies buck and doe that night feeling great...

 

The second case with the sciatic I am still going to treatment for so far is has been 3 times a week for 3 weeks and now I am just going when it gets bad. Again I tried going the traditional route as to be honest just before Christmas I didn't have the money to go to a Chiropractor.... which again the real doctor advised against. After spending one weekened where I was only able to sleep for about 3 hrs between Thurs 2:00AM through till Saturday 11PM even though I was taking 10 to 15 tylenol and the prescibed anti inflammitories, I finally decided to see a Chiropractor again. At 30 bucks a visit, when I only work part time in the winter coming up with the cash is tough since OHIP doesn't pay anything towards it now but the relief is worth double that in all honesty... Also after reading what anti inflammitories do to you I was thankful to get the heck off them as fast as possible.

 

That has been my situation with pinched nerves for what it is worth.

Edited January 2, 2008 by Canuck2fan

[Fisherman]

The compression is likely occurring at the neck area unless you have a torn rotator cuff or similar injury. Try some neck stretching exercises or yoga (the best) for relief. Also try using some type of NSAID like Ibuprofen (Advil).

For those that don't know about NSAISs, you might want to check into them first, they can cause more grief than relief. I was on them, sciatic nerve problem, then I got ulcers, couldn't eat, just marvellous. Pill prescribers have to be watched. It's not a cure, they just mask the problem.

http://ca.wrs.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geumxJ33tHL...hart_nsaids.asp

Edited January 2, 2008 by Fisherman

[scuro]

Right now it's not to bad at all. I haven't experienced tingling and it really only bothers me at night when I try to find a position that my left arm is comfortable in. I'm sure it will get worse again as work ramps up and I'm back into the daily grind. Thanks for all of the input and links provided. It's good to hear your collective experiences and hear of therapies I had never even known about before. Really, I had only talked to one person before who described what I had. It's all food for thought. I'll make that appointment with the Dr. as planned and see what he believes it to be and what he recommends.

[aplumma]

I would go see the doctor and get a definite diagnosis to the problem you are having and then decide on some of the other treatments that the helpful people on OFC are offering. Something as simple as being dizzy/nauseas could be either the start of the flu or a early warning of a stroke depending on the circumstances.

 

Art

[Guest lundboy]

I've had a pinched nerve for a while now...from up in my left armpit, shoulder, down the arm and into the two small fingers. I don't have bad pain....don't notice it much until I try to do something or sleep on that side. More activity makes it worse. I'm thinking of chirotherapy. Thoughts...experiences?

 

I had a severe form of the same thing it got worse over time, and it ended up being a problem between the 4th and 5th cervical vertebrae in my neck. Ended up having to get two epidural steroid injections in the neck over a six month period which took care of it for the last 4 years.

 

Also celebrex (powerful NSAID) helps a little. NSAIDS will help reduce the inflammation and swelling of the nerve. Oxycodone (trailertrash heroin) did little for the pain, so if the Dr. offers it don't bother (unless you want to sell it for profit).

 

You need to get it looked after ASAP, since permanent nerve damage can occur if you don't. Have your doc refer you to a neurologist right away.

Edited January 2, 2008 by lundboy