Forearm Pain: Treatments and Causes
Aching Pain Is Often From Overuse
Medically reviewed by Sameena Zahoor, MD
Many things can cause forearm pain. The most common cause of wrist and forearm pain is a repetitive stress injury from daily activities. Issues with your muscles, tendons, ligaments, skin, bones, arteries, or nerves can trigger forearm pain.
If you're experiencing pain in your inner/outer elbow or lower forearm area, it's important to address sharp pain in forearm areas caused by acute trauma or aching pain caused by overuse to avoid long-term complications.
Read on to learn what you need to know about forearm pain management and treatment options, what causes and stops the pain, how to tell when your symptoms might be serious, and more.
4 Types of Forearm Pain
Forearm pain etiologies (causes) can be classified into the following four major groups:
Musculoskeletal (tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow)
Neurologic (nerve compression, neuropathy)
Vascular (artery disease, heart attack)
Other (trauma, infection)
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Causes of Forearm Pain From Exercise
Forearm pain from sports-related exercise generally falls into two categories: sudden injuries and repetitive strain injuries. The differences are described below.
Sudden Injuries
Sudden exercise-related forearm injuries include:
Bruises
Strains
Sprains
Repetitive Strain Injuries
Repetitive strain injuries, also called repetitive stress injuries, occur from overuse. Although they're commonly associated with sports, any repetitive motion can cause this type of forearm pain. Types of repetitive motion that may cause repetitive strain injuries include:
Typing
Curling
Gripping
Lifting
Playing instruments
Sports like tennis or golf
You Don't Have to Play Tennis to Get Tennis Elbow
Even though "tennis elbow" and "golfer's elbow" have become everyday ways to describe lateral and medial epicondylitis, these forearm-pain-inducing conditions can be caused by many repetitive movements.
Forearm Pain and Condition-Related Causes
Underlying medical conditions and various syndromes can cause forearm pain. Below are some condition-related causes of forearm pain.
Arthritis
For people with rheumatoid arthritis (caused by immune system issues), forearm pain during the day is usually aggravated by rotating or extending joints connected to the forearm. During advanced stages of osteoarthritis (caused by cartilage deterioration), forearm pain can occur without movement and often strikes during the night when you're trying to sleep.
Fibromyalgia
Experiencing painful, tender spots all over the body, including the forearms, is common among people with fibromyalgia.
Forearm Osteomyelitis
The medical term "osteomyelitis" describes a bone or joint infection. Forearm osteomyelitis is caused by an infectious organism that triggers inflammation or possible destruction (necrosis) of the forearm bones or bone marrow.
Brachial Plexopathy
Brachial plexopathy is a type of peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage that causes numbness, weakness, and pain) that can occur when the brachial plexus is damaged. Nerves run from the lower neck, through the upper shoulder, and down the arm from the brachial plexus. If this bundle of nerves is damaged, the resulting peripheral neuropathy can cause forearm pain.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
The narrow passageway between the collarbone and first rib is crammed with nerves and blood vessels. Compression of these nerves can cause thoracic outlet syndrome (TOC), which often causes forearm pain.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Many jobs that require using your hands for hours a day at an ergonomically incorrect angle that compresses the nerves passing through the carpal bones at the bottom of the wrist can cause forearm pain associated with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Typing is a common cause. Rheumatoid arthritis, menopause, and thyroid imbalance can also cause CTS.
Is My Arm Pain a Heart Attack Symptom?
There may be a link between forearm pain and the heart. If you experience sudden, unexplained forearm pain, especially if it occurs on the left side with chest pressure, nausea, or weakness, it may be a sign that you're having a heart attack. Arm pain is a common warning symptom associated with sudden cardiac arrest. Seek emergency treatment or call 911 if you experience forearm pain along with any other signs and symptoms of a myocardial infarction.
At-Home Self-Care for Forearm Pain
Although it's always recommended to get prescriptive medical advice from a healthcare provider, the self-care home treatments below can help relieve some types of forearm pain with minimal risk of dangerous side effects.
RICE Method
The acronym "RICE" stands for "rest," "ice," "compression," and "elevation." The RICE method is the gold standard for treating acute strains and sprains.
Applying Heat
Heat relaxes muscles, which can relieve musculoskeletal forearm pain. Applying heat to your forearm with a heating pad or by soaking in a warm bath also increases blood flow and promotes healing.
Applying Cold
Cold temperatures reduce swelling by causing blood vessels to constrict. If a strain or sprain causes forearm pain, icing the area with an ice pack or frozen bag of peas (along with other RICE-method techniques) is one of the best drug-free home remedies.
Oral Pain Relievers
Over-the-counter oral pain relievers like aspirin and anti-inflammatory medication such as Advil (ibuprofen) or Aleve (naproxen) can alleviate mild to moderate forearm pain.
Topical Analgesics
Topical pain relievers such as Voltaren (diclofenac) or Icy Hot (methyl salicylate) can be used at home to treat some types of mild to moderate forearm pain without serious adverse side effects.
Self Massage
Throughout the day, you can gently massage painful areas in your forearm with your fingertips to stimulate blood flow and promote healing. Pressing into specific sore spots with your thumb (myofascial release) can help break up painful knots.
Stretches
Avoid exacerbating a forearm injury by overstretching or stretching too soon. However, if a physical therapist or healthcare provider recommends stretching your forearms, you can stretch these muscles at home without any special equipment.
To do a forearm stretch, extend one arm and place your fingers from the other hand behind the extended arm’s fingertips. Gently pull towards your shoulder. Feel the muscles and tendons underneath the forearm stretch, then release. Hold each stretch for five to 10 seconds and repeat on the other side.
In addition to self-care treatments for existing pain, preventing forearm pain can be promoted by making ergonomic adjustments to things like the angle of your keyboard, minimizing the duration of repeated movements that inflame repetitive strain injuries, and taking breaks.
Forearm Pain Exercises
Strengthening exercises can help forearm pain. Most forearm pain exercises involve moving the wrist in different directions while creating strength-building resistance with either a weighted object (e.g., dumbbell, water bottle) or a resistance band.
Below are two forearm strength-building exercises you can do at home without gym equipment:
Wrist rotation exercise: Hold the bottom of a small water bottle or can of soup clamped in your palm as you sit in a chair with your elbow on your knee and forearm parallel to the ground. Rotate the wrist from a palm-up to palm-down position using a twisting forearm motion for eight to 12 reps. Repeat three times and switch hands.
Wrist flexion and extension: While holding the water bottle or can of soup the long way, in the middle, flex and extend your wrist back and forth in an up/down motion without moving the forearm. Repeat these flexor/extensor exercises with each arm for eight to 12 reps. Repeat three times.
Medical Treatment Options for Forearm Pain
Below are some treatment options for forearm pain that may be recommended or prescribed by a healthcare provider or physical therapist.
Braces and Splints
Braces and splints can immobilize the joints and limit movements that worsen overuse injuries. However, because the healing process involves keeping your musculoskeletal system strong by using your arms, speak to a healthcare provider or physical therapist about how to avoid potential atrophy (wasting away) or loss of motor function by wearing a brace or splint for unnecessarily long periods.
Injections
Cortisone injections can help reduce forearm pain caused by things like tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons). However, overusing cortisone shots can have adverse effects such as damaging cartilage within your joints.
Surgery
In serious cases, surgery may be the best (or only) option for treating your forearm pain. But surgery always comes with risk. If possible, get a second opinion before deciding to have a surgical procedure to treat forearm pain.
How Does Forearm Pain Feel?
Forearm pain can feel achy or sharp. Dull, achy forearm pain that starts gradually and builds in severity over weeks or months is usually caused by repetitive strain injuries and overuse. Sharp, shooting forearm pain is often caused by a onetime traumatic event that results in acute injury.
Diagnosing Forearm Pain
Depending on the underlying cause of forearm pain, the diagnostic process can vary. In general, after a physical exam and taking a patient's medical history, one or more of the following tools are used when diagnosing forearm pain:
Ultrasound (sonography)
CT scan (computed Tomography)
Nerve conduction tests
Blood flow tests (angiography)
Electromyography (EMG)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Although it might seem easy to self-diagnose the cause of your forearm pain, to avoid the risks associated with misdiagnosis, it’s always best to consult with a healthcare professional and get an accurate diagnosis.
When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention
Forearm pain can develop suddenly or gradually worsen over time. Sharp and severe arm pain that happens suddenly and for no apparent reason could be a heart attack symptom. If this happens, seek medical attention immediately by going to the emergency room or calling 911.
Seek immediate medical attention for acute forearm pain if you:
Hear a loud snap or cracking sound after a traumatic forearm injury
See a visibly broken bone protruding from the forearm's skin
Notice that the angle of your forearm is different after an accident
Cannot move your forearm at the elbow joint or rotate palms up and down at wrist
Experience trauma-induced bleeding that continues for more than five minutes and won't stop
Feel a "hot spot" on your forearm that's tender or warm to the touch, and the skin area looks red, swollen, or glossy and the forearm pain may be from a subcutaneous infection like cellulitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria or group A Streptococcus.
Summary
Forearm pain can be caused by long-term overuse or a onetime injury. When forearm pain is sudden and sharp, it may indicate an emergency that requires immediate medical attention. Repetitive movements usually cause dull, aching forearm pain that can often be treated at home.
Speaking to a healthcare provider at the first sign of forearm pain is important so you can start treatment early and avoid more damage.
Read the original article on Verywell Health.
