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What can cause arm pain particularly after sleep?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

I am a 23-year-old male, student. I have had severe pain in my right arm for the past 12 hours. There is no other accompanying symptom. I had encountered the same problem a couple of times in the past. The pain starts suddenly mostly after sleep. What to do?

Answered by Dr. Sadaf Mustafa

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Sadaf Mustafa is an Internal Medicine Specialist. She can diagnose and manage complex and multisystem disease. She can treat chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disorders. She can provide preventive care and routine health assessments. She can help in the management of infections and autoimmune diseases. She helps in the interpretation of diagnostic tests and imaging reports. She can do medication management and adjustment for long-term therapies.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com. This could be coming from the nerve being compressed or irritated in your neck, shoulder or arm pit. I would highly suggest changing the position in which you sleep. In order to help you better please tell me whether the pain starts from your shoulder or arm pit and moves down or just the arm. Do you feel any numbness or pins and needles? Do you have a history of fall, trauma or shoulder and neck injury? Did you experience the pain every day morning or after a nap? Do you feel any weakness in your right hand or arm? It could be cervical disc radiculopathy, saturday night palsy (radial nerve compression), or rotator cuff tear or sprain.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

The pain is just in the arm and hand. It is more in the hand. There is no numbness. I do not have any history of serious injury. This pain comes at some odd day not after each nap or sleep. Yes, I have some weakness in my right hand.

Answered by Dr. Sadaf Mustafa

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Sadaf Mustafa is an Internal Medicine Specialist. She can diagnose and manage complex and multisystem disease. She can treat chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disorders. She can provide preventive care and routine health assessments. She can help in the management of infections and autoimmune diseases. She helps in the interpretation of diagnostic tests and imaging reports. She can do medication management and adjustment for long-term therapies.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com. I think you are having carpal tunnel syndrome. Less likely to be coming from neck or shoulder injury. Are you an athlete or long time computer user? Even a small work that involves using your hands and wrists can make it worse. Do a nerve conduction study of the right arm and an x-ray of the cervical spine. Less likely, but cervical spondylitis is also a possibility. Use a wrist splint and wrist brace. Wear it for at least 8-10 hours a day. Take Cataflam (Diclofenac 50 mg) three times a day as needed for pain. It may take up to four to eight weeks for you to get some improvement.

Medically reviewed by iCliniq medical review team
Published At May 4, 2016
Reviewed At June 28, 2023

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Sadaf Mustafa is an Internal Medicine Specialist. She can diagnose and manage complex and multisystem disease. She can treat chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disorders. She can provide preventive care and routine health assessments. She can help in the management of infections and autoimmune diseases. She helps in the interpretation of diagnostic tests and imaging reports. She can do medication management and adjustment for long-term therapies.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

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Arm Pain After Sleep Awareness Builder

Arm Pain After Sleep?

Five quick questions help you understand common causes of arm pain after sleep, what to mention to your doctor, and when to seek prompt medical advice.

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Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Sadaf Mustafa is an Internal Medicine Specialist. She can diagnose and manage complex and multisystem disease. She can treat chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disorders. She can provide preventive care and routine health assessments. She can help in the management of infections and autoimmune diseases. She helps in the interpretation of diagnostic tests and imaging reports. She can do medication management and adjustment for long-term therapies.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

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