Brachial Neuralgia Symptoms
and Causes

Fear of disease is more worrisome than suffering with the disease itself. This condition is often seen in brachial neuralgia, since it mimics referred pain of heart attack, i.e. pain radiating to shoulder. So, shoulder pain or arm pain, even if it is simple, should be brought to the notice of the doctor to lead a life peacefully without any ‘psychological’ heart complaints.

Brachium means arm i.e., from shoulder to elbow. Thus, the neuralgic pain in the arm is medically termed as brachial neuralgia.

SYMPTOMS:

There is a sense of pins, needles, numbness, and pain in one or both hands, 1-3 hours after falling asleep. The discomfort generally awakens the person. There may be wasting in the small muscles in the hands, as well as coldness or swelling. It generally occurs among adults, not children.

The symptoms can eventually include the lower arm, upper arm, and even the shoulder. This is generally worse after a day of heavy lifting.

During the day few symptoms are present, unless heavy lifting occurs.

CAUSES:

This is to the shoulder what sciatica is to the leg. A nerve, leading to the shoulder, is pinched in the spine.

But it can also be caused by overworking of the arms, carrying excessively heavy weight, poor posture, and letting the arms and hands get cold at night. More rarely, there may be an abnormality in the seventh cervical rib.

The lower branch of the brachial plexus of nerves exits from the lower cervical vertebrae, then passes underneath the clavicle and on into the arm. If this somehow experiences compression, the nerves to the arm and hand will be affected.

It is best to eliminate this disorder, otherwise it is likely to keep getting worse.

A similar affliction is called the cervical rib syndrome. But it occurs more often in younger people, and it produces pain or numbness soon after heavy lifting, wearing a heavy coat, etc. The symptoms occur in the day, not at night.