Muscle pain is a condition that is considered harmless and can heal by itself. However, you need to be careful if you experience upper left arm muscle pain. What are the causes and characteristics of upper left arm muscle pain?
Upper left arm muscle pain is often associated with heart attacks. A heart attack is a muscle disorder that is triggered by a lack of blood flow. Therefore, you need to be aware of the characteristics of upper left arm muscle pain which can be the following symptoms of a heart attack.
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Symptoms of Upper Left Arm Muscle Pain
Upper left arm muscle pain needs to be watched out for as a symptom of a heart attack, especially if it is accompanied by the following features:
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Indigestion.
- Dizzy.
- Pain, numbness or discomfort in the neck, back, jaw or lower abdomen.
- Chest discomfort suddenly, goes away, and comes back.
- Cold sweat and red face suddenly.
- Short breath.
Chest pain is a feature of a heart attack that can be like burning or tightness. However, upper left arm muscle pain is a risk for women and is triggered by a number of factors, such as stress or digestive disorders.
Causes of Upper Left Arm Muscle Pain
Upper left arm muscle pain that does not go away needs to be watched out for as certain diseases, namely:
1. Pinched nerve
Pinched nerves affect all areas of the body, including the arms. This condition is triggered by excessive pressure on nerves and other tissues, such as muscles, cartilage, or tendons. The characteristics of a pinched nerve are tingling, numbness, or extreme pain in the affected area.
A pinched nerve can heal in a few days or weeks if you rest and take pain medication. However, if the left upper arm muscle pain does not go away after taking pain relievers, surgery is needed to relieve pressure on the nerves.
2. Broken bones
Have you ever fallen or been injured while playing sports? If so, a broken arm bone is at risk of triggering upper left arm muscle pain. Although they often go unnoticed, broken bones cause excruciating pain when you move your arm. If the upper left arm muscle pain due to a fracture does not improve, immediately see a doctor to be given the right treatment.
3. Anxiety disorders
Anxiety risks triggering tension in the muscles, including the arms, which actually makes anxiety worse. Anxiety also triggers the fear that you are facing a life-threatening situation. Therefore, you need to overcome anxiety by contacting a psychologist or psychiatrist so that proper treatment is given.
Management of Upper Left Arm Muscle Pain
If upper left arm muscle pain is diagnosed as a symptom of a heart attack, the doctor will perform a number of procedures. For example, chest X-rays, electrocardiograms, blood work, and tomography angiography (CTA) scans. However, if the condition is severe, the doctor will perform surgery. Here are a number of procedures to improve heart blood flow:
- Angioplasty. A small balloon is inflated in the blocked artery and opened for blood flow.
- Stent Implantation. Inserting a stent into a blocked artery so that blood flows smoothly.
- Bypass Operation. Grafting new blood vessels from other organs to replace the damaged coronary arteries.
