Diet & Weight Magazine

Pain in Left Arm - How To Deal With It?

By Vicknesh @wellhealthblog
A common assumption with pain on the left side of your body – specifically pain in left arm is that you are experiencing a heart attack (angina) or other heart related ailment. While this might actually be the case, there are actually many other issues that could be the actual cause of the pain.Pain in Left ArmHeart IssuesWhile there are many different causes of pain in the left arm, the possibility that the pain could be related to an issue with your heart can never be completely dismissed.Generally if you are experiencing heart conditions such as angina, the pain in your left arm will also be accompanied by pain in your chest, or the pain itself radiating downwards from your shoulder to your arm. A heart attack can be felt as either dull or shooting pain so if you are experiencing any of these symptoms it is best if you contact your local medical professional immediately. Heart attacks are extremely serious and symptoms that mimic those mentioned are definitely of concern and should not be ignored at any cost.Stress and PsychologyPain on the left side of the body can also be caused by psychological issues andstress. While most people would not assume that their emotional state could be a contributing factor to their physical well being, this should definitely not be dismissed and belittled.People experience stress for different reasons and the causes could be related to workplace issues or problems in your personal life. When the stress gets too high however, it is possible that you start to feel a physical reaction in addition to the emotional and mental strain that you are under. Generally pain in the left arm if due to chronic stress symptoms will be characterized by a dull and heavy pain.In some respects for those that suffer extreme reactions to stress – panic attacks and the like – the pain is entirely logical as a panic attack has a correlating reaction on heart rates and blood pressure, both of which could cause symptoms similar to a heart attack.Physical Activity and OveruseThe most common cause of pain in your left arm is actually due to your overusing it or using it in a way that your body is unfamiliar with.It is quite common for those with a primarily sedentary lifestyle to overdue the physical activities on one or two days of the week and unless care is taken to warm up properly and stretch out all of your muscles in advance, injuring yourself is a very real possibility.The easiest way to determine if this is the cause of the pain you are experiencing is to examine your activities over the past 24 to 48 hours and determine what is different and what has changed. In most instances this simple analysis will help you determine what the root cause of your pain is and in some cases, what activities to avoid in the future! Treating this pain is generally a matter of time and over the counter pain medication although if your pain continues for a significant period of time a consultation with a qualified medical professional is very definitely recommended.Sleep, Posture and Bad CirculationThe symptoms that characterize pain due to sleeping incorrectly and those suffering with bad circulation are somewhat similar. In both cases it is possible that your arm feels “dead” or the converse that you have a pins and needles feeling in your arm and it feels tingly. The treatment in both scenarios is rather different however:·   Sleep and Posture Issues: Quite often sleeping on your arm in an awkward position or simply standing in one position for too long a period of time – straining one part of your body more than the other – can be the cause of pain. In most instances, simply changing the way in which you are standing or sleeping can make all the difference in addressing this issue. While the pain due this cause can be acute, it is generally short in terms of duration and medication is not required.·   Bad Circulation Issues: Generally treating issues with bad circulation is a bit more complicated requiring medication after positive analysis. As bad circulation is a condition that affects your whole body, while the feeling might be focused on your left arm, the issues are often larger.While the symptoms in both cases are similar, the treatment as already mentioned is significantly different so if you experience symptoms similar to this try to determine which scenario applies to you – generally pain in the left arm related to sleep and posture will pass fairly quickly whereas if the problem is related to bad circulation it will be more chronic in nature. If the latter scenario applies to you, a visit to a qualified medical practitioner is very much recommended so that appropriate tests may be carried out.MedicationWhile medication might be the solution if problems with circulation are the cause, in some instances the medication itself is the culprit and the reason for the pain. If you have recently introduced prescription drugs into your system for any other condition or reason it is worth checking what the expected side effects of that medication are as this could be the reason for the pain in your left arm. However if pain on the left side of your body is not among the list of expected side effects that does not necessarily mean that the medication is not at fault and it is worth speaking to your Doctor to explore whether or not alternative medicines or dosages are an option simply so that you can rule this out as the possible cause of the pain.In summary, while pain in the left arm might be due to an associated heart condition, generally unless associated pain in the chest is also being experienced a heart attack is unlikely to be the ultimate culprit as there are many different causes and issues that could be the underlying reason for the pain. A qualified medical practitioner should always be consulted if there is ever any concern so that appropriate tests may be carried out.By 

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