Nerve pain in the arm (radial, ulnar, median etc.) is caused by a compression or impingement exerted by the surrounding tissues: bones, cartilage, muscles or tendons on the path of the nerve, for which it can becomes irritated and occasionally generating tingling sensations, numbness and weakness in the arm.
One of the most frequent causes of pain in the arm can be the impingement of the ulnar nerve at the elbow, resulting in:
- Localised discomfort on the medial aspect of the elbow.
- Paresthesias (altered sensation) or numbness in the ring and little fingers of the hand.
- Weakness to grasp or clamp with the fingers of the hand.
- Difficulty opening bottles or jars.
- Fatigue with repetitive activities that involve the hands.
- Worsening of symptoms at night or with flexion of the elbow, when doing activities such as talking on the phone or chatting using the cell phone while lying down.