Arm numbness
Arm numbness: Introduction
Numbness usually arises from damage or disease of nerves.
Numbness is often associated with or preceded by
abnormal pain-like sensations often described as pins-and-needles,
prickling or burning sensations called paresthesias; see arm paresthesias.
Any numbness or abnormal sensations need prompt professional medical advice.
» Review Causes of Arm numbness:
full list
Causes of Arm numbness
See all 64
causes of Arm numbness
Causes of Types of Arm numbness:
Review the causes of these more specific types of Arm numbness:
See full list of 7
types for Arm numbness
Arm numbness: Symptom Checker
Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Arm numbness, as listed in our database.
Visit the Symptom Checker,
to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.
Symptom Checker
Symptom Checker
See full list of 2114
Symptom Checker combinations related to Arm numbness
Arm numbness Treatments
Review information on Arm numbness Treatments.
Arm numbness: Marketplace Products, Discounts & Offers
Products, offers and promotion categories available related to Arm numbness:
Causes of General Symptom Types
Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:
Research the causes of related medical symptoms such as:
Causes of Similar Symptoms to Arm numbness
Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Arm numbness:
Diagnostic Guides for Arm numbness
Medical Books Excerpts
Read excertps from published book sections related to Arm numbness
from the following published medical books
for more detailed information about Arm numbness.
Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Arm numbness
Medical Books Excerpts
- ARM PAIN
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Arm pain
- "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Analgesia
- "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Arm pain
- "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Paresthesia
- "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Analgesia
- "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Analgesia
- "Alarming Signs and Symptoms: Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice Series" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Arm pain
- "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Paresthesia
- "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Arm pain
- "Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Analgesia
- "Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
- [ read ]
- ARM PAIN
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.
Arm numbness: Undiagnosed Conditions
Conditions that are commonly undiagnosed in related areas may include:
- Nerve Disorders: serious diseases commonly undiagnosed:
- Chronic Pain Disorders -- serious medical disorders that may be undiagnosed:
- more undiagnosed conditions...»
Arm numbness: Research Related Doctors & Specialists
- Nerve Specialists:
- Pain Specialists:
- Arthritis & Joint Health Specialists (Rheumatology):
- more specialists...»
Other ways to find a doctor, or use doctor, physician and specialist online research services:
Misdiagnosis and Arm numbness
Leg cramps at night a classic sign: The symptom of having leg muscle cramps,
particularly at night, is a classic sign of undiagnosed diabetes.
However, there are also various other causes...read more »
Vitamin B12 deficiency under-diagnosed: The condition of Vitamin B12 deficiency
is a possible misdiagnosis of various conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (see symptoms of multiple...read more »
Read more about Misdiagnosis and Arm numbness
Diagnostic tests for Arm numbness:
Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Arm numbness. Some of these are listed below :
- General appearance - abnormal posture, muscle wasting, abnormal arm movements.
- Physical examination
- May be necessary to examine a variety of joints including the cervical spine, shoulder, elbow , wrists and the various joints of the hand
- Test muscle tone, power, reflexes and co-ordination of upper limbs
- Test sensation of upper limbs - including pain , touch , temperature and vibration sensation.
- Examine each nerve of the upper limb (including radial , median, ulnar nerve and also brachial plexus
- Examination of cranial nerves - if also affected would suggest a diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease , a mass in the brain, migraine or multiple sclerosis.
- more tests...»
See full list of 27
diagnostic tests for Arm numbness
Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)
During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Arm numbness.
Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing
your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information
you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis.
Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:
- How long have you noticed numbness in your arm? - to establish if acute or chronic.
- What areas of the arm are affected by the numbness? - E.g. forearm, elbow, shoulder - can help determine which nerves are affected.
- Are both arms affected and is it symmetrical? - helps determine which nerves are affected e.g. peripheral neuropathy is symmetrical compared with individual nerve or nerve root disease which should be suspected if sensory loss is asymmetrical or confined to one limb.
- Is the hand also affected by the numbness? - helps determine which nerves are affected.
- Is there a time of day when arm numbness is worse? - can help determine the cause of arm numbness e.g. carpal tunnel syndrome is usually worse at night.
- more questions...»
See Diagnosis Checklist for Arm numbness (57
listings)
Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)
Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse
your condition.
The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Arm numbness) may include:
- Arm pain? - if also pain in the involved extremity this usually suggests herniated cervical disc , spinal cord tumor or cervical spondylosis. Other conditions to consider are brachial plexus neuropathy, thoracic outlet syndrome, cervical rib, Pancoast's tumour, Raynaud's disease, sympathetic dystrophy or various entrapment syndromes such as carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow.
- Arm weakness?
- Neck pain?
- Are there any other areas of the body which are numb? - e.g. numbness of the face would suggest a diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease, a mass in the brain, migraine or multiple sclerosis.
- Headaches? - may suggest migraine or mass in brain.
- more symptoms...»
See Diagnosis Checklist for Arm numbness (57
listings)
Home Diagnostic Testing and Arm numbness
Home medical tests possibly related to Arm numbness:
- Diabetes: Related Home Testing:
- Nerve Neuropathy: Related Home Testing:
- more tests...»
Stories from Users for Arm numbness
Real-life user stories relating to Arm numbness:
- Tingling/numbness in arms/hands/legs/face/head [more symptoms]
- Numbness in left arm, lump below ear and ringing in ear
- Arm numbness w/ neck injuries in a accident
- Heart Pallpitations, Left Arm Numb, Dizzy!!!
- Strange sensation
- my face and arms are tingling and numb
- Tingling sensations leg, arm, face
- Severe left foot/ankle swelling, left arm numbness
- Loss of sensation
- Crawling sensation
- Left Arm/Hand numbness/Swelling Sensation
- numb arms and legs, hypothyroid, dizzy, stiff toes
- Odd, dream like sensations.
- Woke up with sudden numbness in hand and arm.
- Left arm and hand numbness for 2yrs
- Arm numbness, please help
- Pins and Needless/Numbness in Legs/Arms/Face
- pain in underarm(armpit), numbness in arm.Went numb all over yesterday.
- Weird Sensations in Left Arm
- leg and arm numbness coming with anger and brain burning
Symptom specific forums:
The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards
relate to Arm numbness or relevant symptoms:
Videos for Arm numbness
Almost half of all people with diabetes experience some form of nerve damage, which can develop into a complication known as peripheral neuropathy....
Treating nerve damage from diabetes requires a two-pronged approach: controlling blood sugar and alleviating the pain caused by peripheral...
Do you suffer from chest pain while exercising? If so, you may want to see a doctor. Join experts as they talk about the various methods used to...
Stress takes its toll by making us anxious, depressed and not able to function as fully as we'd like. What many don't know is that stress can...
See full list of 4 related videos
Patient Surveys for Arm numbness
Medications or substances causing Arm numbness:
The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible
causes of Arm numbness as a symptom.
Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using,
including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.
See full list of 17
medications causing Arm numbness
Organs affected by Arm numbness:
The list of organs typically affected by Arm numbness may include, but is not limited to:
Detailed list of causes of Arm numbness
The list below shows some of the causes of Arm numbness mentioned in various sources:
See full list of 64
causes of Arm numbness
How Common are these Causes of Arm numbness?
This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases,
not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Arm numbness.
Of the 64
causes of Arm numbness that
we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:
- 3
causes are "very common" diseases
- 4
causes are "common" diseases
- 2
causes are "uncommon" diseases
- 0
causes are "rare" diseases
- 2
causes are "very rare" diseases
- 59
causes have no prevalence information.
See the analysis of the prevalence of 64
causes of Arm numbness
Conditions listing symptoms: Arm numbness:
The following list of conditions
have 'Arm numbness' or similar
listed as a symptom in our database.
This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete.
Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause
of any symptom.
A
Acidic dry cell batteries inhalation poisoning
... numb fingersAcroosteolysis neurogenic
... numb handsAcroparesthesia syndrome
... hand numbnessAmyloidosis AL
... arm numbnessAngina
... numbness in left armArachnoid Cysts
... arm numbnessArm fracture
... numb armArteriosclerosis Obliterans
... limb numbnessB
Back tumour
... loss of sensation in arms and legsBrachial Neuritis
... numbness in armBrachial Plexus Injury
... numbness in hand, numbness in armBrain cancer
... Numbness of arms or legsBroken elbow
... numb armBroken finger
... finger numbnessBroken hand
... hand numbnessBroken shoulder blade
... numb armC
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
... hand numbness, numbness in fingersCentral nervous system lymphoma, primary
... limb numbnessChemical poisoning - Allyl chloride
... hand numbnessChronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy
... slowly progressive weakness and sensory dysfunction of the legs and arms, numbness in toes and fingersChronic Kidney Disease
... sensory loss in hands and feetChronic necrotizing vasculitis
... limb numbnessCiguatera poisoning
... numb handsD
Dana syndrome
... numbness in handsDermatomyositis
... numbness around nailbedDiabetes
... hand numbnessDiabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
... numbness in hands, numbness in fingersE
Erb's Palsy
... arm numbnessExcessive dieting
... numbness in handsG
Ganglion cyst
... numb handH
Halm-Munk syndrome
... finger numbnessHand neuropathy
... hand numbness, finger numbnessHereditary amyloidosis
... numbness in armsHereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies
... hand numbness, finger numbnessHip cancer
... loss of sensation in arms and legsHyperventilation
... numb handsHypocalcemia, autosomal dominant
... numbness in handsK
Keratosis palmoplantaris - periodontopathia - onychogryposis
... finger numbnessL
Limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis
... numb fingersLupus
... finger numbnessM
Methylmalonicacidemia with homocystinuria, cbl D
... numbness in armsN
Neuropathy - ataxia - retinitis pigmentosa
... arm numbnessNeuropathy ataxia and retinis pigmentosa
... numbness in armsNeurotoxicity syndromes
... limb numbnessO
Olivopontocerebellar Atrophy
... hand numbnessP
Paralytic shellfish poisoning
... arm numbnessPeripheral vascular disease
... arm numbnessPernicious anemia
... numb fingersPOEMS syndrome
... hand numbnessPolyneuritis
... hand numbness, limb numbnessPolyneuropathy - Ophthalmoplegia - Leukoencehalopathy - Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction
... hand numbnessPorphyria, hereditary coproporphyria
... arm numbnessPyridoxine deficiency
... hand numbnessQ
Quadriplegia
... loss of sensation in arms and legsR
Radiation-Induced Brachial Plexopathy
... finger numbnessRaynaud's phenomenon
... finger numbnessRib Tumor
... loss of sensation in arms and legsS
Sjogren's Syndrome
... limb numbnessSpinal intradural arachnoid cysts
... arm numbnessSyringomyelia, cervical lesion
... finger numbnessT
Type 2 diabetes
... hand numbnessW
Wallerian degeneration
... Limb numbnessWhiplash Injuries
... hand numbness, arm numbness
Conditions listing complications: Arm numbness:
The following list of conditions
have 'Arm numbness' or similar
listed as a complication in our database.
The distinction between a symptom and complication is not always clear,
and conditions mentioning this symptom as a complication may also be relevant.
This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete.
Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause
of any symptom.
D
Diabetes
... hand neuropathyT
Type 1 diabetes
... hand neuropathyType 2 diabetes
... hand neuropathy
Join in at the forums
Ask or answer a question about symptoms or diseases at one of our
free interactive user forums.
Medical story forums: If you have a medical story then we want to hear it.
See a list of all the medical forums
Causes of Arm numbness Based on Risk Factors
This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Arm numbness based
on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient:
Diabetes - history of diabetes or family history of diabetes?
Doctors and specialists: Who should I consult about Arm numbness?
Depending on the seriousness of the onset of Arm numbness, you may want to consult one of the following medical professionals.
Important:In extreme cases, always seek advice from emergency services :
Classifications of Arm numbness:
Subtypes of Arm numbness:
Hand numbness (36 causes), Finger numbness (16 causes)
Medical Conditions associated with Arm numbness:
Arm symptoms (1340 causes), Numbness (378 causes), Pain (5609 causes), Sensations (5876 causes), Nerve symptoms (6219 causes), Limb symptoms (1215 causes), Common symptoms (7717 causes)
Symptoms related to Arm numbness:
Arm paresthesia (58 causes), Arm burning, Arm pain (39 causes), Arm symptoms (1340 causes), Arm injury, Arm tingling (58 causes), Arm numbness (63 causes), Elbow symptoms (65 causes), Hand symptoms (1115 causes), Finger symptoms (1062 causes), Nerve injury, Nerve compression, Nerve entrapment, Brachial plexus
Medical articles on signs and symptoms:
Doctor-patient articles related to symptoms and diagnosis:
These general medical articles may be of interest:
See full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis
Medical News summaries about Arm numbness
Our news pages contain the following medical news summaries about Arm numbness and many other medical conditions:
Evidence Based Medicine Research for Arm numbness
Medical research papers related to Arm numbness include:
Research More Evidence-Based Medicine at TripDatabase.com
More Ways To Research Medical Signs and Symptoms:
» Next page: Causes of Arm numbness
Rate This Website
What do you think about the features of this website?
Take our user survey and have your say:
Website User Survey
Medical Tools & Articles:
Next articles:
Tools & Services:
Medical Articles:
Forums & Message Boards
- Ask or answer a question at the Boards:
