Arm Pain Specialist

What causes arm pain?

Arm pain can come from acute injuries like ligament strains and muscle sprains from falls or overuse. This type of arm pain typically lasts less than six weeks and resolves with rest and over-the-counter medications.

When your arm pain is chronic, lasting longer than six months, it may be due to degenerative conditions like arthritis that affect your joint health. You may also experience pain from nerve compression in your arm, wrist, or hand.

Common causes of arm pain that Dr. Dickerman treats includes:

• Fibromyalgia
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Bursitis (joint inflammation)
• Neuropathy (nerve damage)

Dr. Dickerman also specializes in minimally invasive spine procedures to address issues in your cervical spine (neck) that causes pain that radiates down into your shoulders and arms.

How is arm pain diagnosed?

To better understand what’s triggering your arm pain, Dr. Dickerman performs a comprehensive physical exam. He checks the flexibility and range of motion you have in your neck, shoulders, and arm.

You may also need diagnostic imaging tests to get a closer look at the structures in your upper spine. Dr. Dickerman has access to state-of-the-art diagnostic technologies like X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). 

These tests can show areas of nerve compression in your upper spine that cause tingling, weakness, and pain in your arms. Based on the results of your physical and diagnostic tests, Dr. Dickerman customizes a treatment plan to relieve arm pain and treat its underlying cause.

How is arm pain treated?

There are a variety of nonsurgical treatments available for arm pain. Initially, Dr. Dickerman may recommend anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy to relieve compression on the nerves in your upper spine.

You may also benefit from chiropractic care to improve your spine’s alignment and massage therapy to release muscle tension.

Dr. Dickerman also offers a variety of injectable therapies that deliver medications directly into your cervical spine to ease arm pain when oral medicines aren’t working. These therapies include:

• Facet injections
• Joint injections
• Epidural injections
• Trigger point injections

If your arm pain is the result of spinal compression or other spine conditions and other treatments can’t relieve pain, Dr. Dickerman may recommend surgery. He offers several types of minimally invasive cervical procedures, including anterior cervical discectomy, foraminotomy, and spinal fusion surgery.

These surgeries require only small incisions to access areas of your cervical spine. As a result, you can heal faster and with less risk for bleeding, pain, and other complications. The goals of these procedures are to stabilize your spine and release pressure on your nerves, so you can find long-term relief of arm pain.

To schedule a diagnostic evaluation for arm pain, call the office of Neuro Texas, today or book a consultation online.