Pins & Needles in left arm

[Steve123]

I have had a continuous problem with my left arm for a few weeks now. I have pins and needles in the outside of my left hand and a dull pain in the outside of the lower left arm from the elbow to the hand. This is more pronounced at night. I regularly do weight training.

A visit to my GP resulted in the view that I had "irritated a nerve" in the neck which was affecting the nerve that runs down the arm. The treatment was to take ibuprofen and return for physio if it did not get better in a week or so. As there was no let up in the symptoms despite taking ibuprofen, I thought I would then try some spinal manipulation treatment to try to free the nerve. This I had done a couple of days ago and the practitioner mentioned some of my vertebrae were out of alignment.

The symptoms however, have still not let up so I am open to further suggestions on the next course of action to take?

Many thanks

[Heidi]

Hi

I think you may need to have more than one session to notice any difference. Give it another couple of goes before you decide for definate that this isn't the way to go.

Other things to consider include ulnar nerve entrapment. This is a compression of the ulnar nerve at the elbow which can cause pins and needles in the little finger and fourth finger as well as pain in the elbow and forearm.

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/elbow/ulnarnerve.htm

[extremeskins]

Hi Steve,

Heidi is correct in that what you are describing is consistent with Ulnar nerve neuropathy.

However, the fact that it is more pronounced at night heavily suggests you are suffering from Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (T.O.S.) -- which often exhibits neuropathy of the ulnar nerve distribution.

http://www.nismat.org/ptcor/thoracic_outlet

The medial chord (of which the Ulnar nerve is supplied) of the brachial plexus is often compressed by the clavicle (ie. costoclavicular syndrome)... one of the 3 culprits for the syndrome.

Also, the TOS can also affect the entire shoulder and arm... depending on the area of compression. But given the fact that the area of the symptoms are at the elbow and below... it's HIGHLY unlikely that the area of impingement is at the vertebrae -- since it would affects ALL the chords, hence, affecting the entire shoulder and arm.

You may have misaligned vertebrae.... but it's just not very likely that it's the cause of your symptoms.

TOS can be easily assessed by a good handful of orthopedic tests that any chiropractor, physical therapist (or physiotherapist), or licensed/registered massage therapist should be able to perform.

And you might want to ask them to perform Carpal Tunnel tests (ie. Phalen's) just in case, to differentiate.

The ulnar nerve may also have entrapments at the following locations:

1. Ulnar nerve at flexor carpi ulnaris
2. Ulnar nerve at hypothenar muscles
3. Ulnar nerve at medial chord of brachial plexus, subscapularis
4. Ulnar nerve at medial intermuscular septum/triceps
5. Ulnar nerve at Pronator Quadratus / Flexor Carpi Ulnar
6. Ulnar nerve at Tunnel of Guyon

Find a chiropractor or massage therapist that can perform Active Release Techniques (ART) -- there are protocols to release the musculature causing the TOS symptoms (scalenes, pec minor, subclavius, subscapularis, pec major)... and any of the ulnar nerve entrapment sites.

It should help immensely... and resolve relatively quick.

[Sophie Hart]

I heard that cervical radiculopathy can help a lot in such case, is it true, I can’t understand how your doctor will determine the nature of the arm or any other body part pain.