Is my pain in my arms or legs coming from my back?
If you feel pain in your arms or legs, it could be coming from your spine. In addition , An injury may inflame or compress areas in your spine which irritate the nerves that control your legs and arms. After that , It can cause sharp, shooting and/or ache-like pain to spread down into your arms or legs. This is known as radicular pain.
If you have radicular pain, usually the pain in your legs or arms will be worse than the pain in your back. Your symptoms may also continue past your knee / elbow in a very particular and specific pattern. This is usually described as shooting pain and you may experience numbness or pins and needles.
Factors that may contribute to arm pain
Smoking
Obesity
Manual work
Work bending down
Periods of prolonged driving
Mental stress
Poor job satisfaction
How do I get rid of my pain?
Arm pain is common and can be treated through various means.
Short term relief options include:
Hydration – drinking lots of water
Walking and doing gentle exercise
Heat
Anti-inflammatories
Magnesium baths/sprays/tablets
Your physiotherapist can Firstly, help relieve your symptoms and secondly, determine what exactly is causing your pain. it’s important to have a a holistic approach when treating. A lot of arm and leg pain and injuries can be related to a back injury.
After conducting a thorough assessment, physiotherapists can provide specific manual therapy treatment, special exercises and gentle movements to aid in returning the nerve to its normal pain free function. It is therefore, important to seek help sooner than later to ensure that your pain does not continue for longer.
To conclude, Call or visit, Ace Health Centre anytime to speak to Book an appointment to see one of our physiotherapists for advice and pain relief options.