Localized numbness in upper arm

Javen

So a few days ago I noticed that a small area in my upper arm, right under my shoulder, was numb. It's a small area and it feels like someone shot novacaine there. For the most part the area is totally numb, except when I move my arm I get a quick, sharp pain in the problem area. I think it might be a pinched nerve but I'm not sure. Any ideas on how to fix this?

NotYou

if it's still been there after a couple days, then definitely see a doctor.

Taranis

Do you have any neck pain or have you had any neck injuries recently? The nerves for your arms branch out from your spinal cord at your neck.

This sounds similar to what I get in my hands from time to time due to a neck injury I received a few years ago.

Javen

No injuries or events come to mind that may have caused this. I haven't been hurt or stressed (physically or otherwise) lately either. I didn't even notice it until I had an itch around the area and when I scratched that particular part I didn't feel anything.

I noticed it Saturday afternoon with no change now, two days later. I'll be out of state from tomorrow to friday and if it persists I'll see a doctor the monday I get back. I might use a heating pad or some other means of relaxing the muscles until then, to see if it'll help.

Hypatia

Have you been leaning on your elbows a lot? Supposedly one of the nerves runs right next to the surface on your elbows and if you lean on them a lot, especially on something hard, it can screw things up in your arms/wrists...other than that, I got nothing other than see your doctor

Daxon

Javen wrote: »

No injuries or events come to mind that may have caused this. I haven't been hurt or stressed (physically or otherwise) lately either. I didn't even notice it until I had an itch around the area and when I scratched that particular part I didn't feel anything.

I noticed it Saturday afternoon with no change now, two days later. I'll be out of state from tomorrow to friday and if it persists I'll see a doctor the monday I get back. I might use a heating pad or some other means of relaxing the muscles until then, to see if it'll help.

Can you lift the shoulder/arm that's affected?

Javen

Daxon wrote: »

Javen wrote: »

No injuries or events come to mind that may have caused this. I haven't been hurt or stressed (physically or otherwise) lately either. I didn't even notice it until I had an itch around the area and when I scratched that particular part I didn't feel anything.

I noticed it Saturday afternoon with no change now, two days later. I'll be out of state from tomorrow to friday and if it persists I'll see a doctor the monday I get back. I might use a heating pad or some other means of relaxing the muscles until then, to see if it'll help.

Can you lift the shoulder/arm that's affected?

Yeah, no muscle weakness or anything like that, though occasionally I'll get a sharp pain on or around the problem area when I move or bend the arm, though it's momentary.

cj iwakura

I've actually had this same problem for some odd reason. Though I've also had numbness in other areas, it's mostly been in the upper right arm.

Exercising and/or flexing the arm seems to help. Far as I can tell, I think it's posture and/or muscle tension related.

happy cabbage

Maybe a pinched nerve?

Javen

happy cabbage wrote: »

Maybe a pinched nerve?

That's my current working theory. I just haven't managed to find many remedies other than "wait it out, or don't"

Taranis

You should look up stretches for your neck. If your vertebrae are pinching a nerve this could help out a lot.

Walter

Right below your shoulder, the skin is innervated by the axillary nerve. It can be pinched with crutches or a dislocation of the shoulder joint. Put your hand at your sides and, using a wall, try to raise your arm from a 15 degree angle to a 90. Try with both arms and make sure the arm you're worried about isn't weaker. The axillary also supplies the deltoid, so you're trying to see if there is any damage to the muscle's innervation. It sound's like you might have damaged the nerve. The axillary is easy to pinch because it runs in a space surrounded by four muscles and also runs next to the head of the humerous. Definitely see a doctor, you need to catch this early before it gets worse and you are SOL.

Javen wrote: »

happy cabbage wrote: »

Maybe a pinched nerve?

That's my current working theory. I just haven't managed to find many remedies other than "wait it out, or don't"

No, don't wait it out. "Pinched nerve" sounds pretty harmless, as if it can be fixed just by relieving some sort of pressure. However, if the nerve remains entrapped for too long, the loss of function can worsen and become permanent.

Facelesscog

Seriously, go see a doctor. I'm speaking from experience here, when I say that things that you brush off as not so serious have a way of (possibly) turning out to be something very serious. There's a chance it's just something temporary, but then again, neither you or anyone here has any way of knowing that for sure.

Go see a doctor. It's not worth risking permanent damage to your arm (or worse).