Table of Contents
If the pain in your left arm is accompanied by other symptoms such discomfort in the center of the chest and shortness of breath, it could be a signal of heart problems. If your left arm is also red and swollen, there could be an underlying injury.
What part of your arm hurts when you have heart problems?
Heart Problems. Pain in your left arm could be related to a heart condition. Angina, which is caused by decreased blood flow to the heart, can cause pain in the arm shoulder. A heart attack can cause pain in one or both arms.
Is massage good for the heart?
Massage can play an important role in heart health, especially for individuals managing cardiovascular issues, high blood pressure and high stress, according to studies conducted by the American Massage Therapy Association.
What does angina arm pain feel like?
Angina symptoms include chest pain and discomfort, possibly described as pressure, squeezing, burning or fullness. You may also have pain in your arms, neck, jaw, shoulder or back. Other symptoms that you may have with angina include: Dizziness.
When should I worry about left arm and shoulder pain?
The American Heart Association advise calling 911 if sudden left arm pain gets worse over a few minutes or occurs alongside any of the following symptoms: discomfort at the center of the chest that lasts longer than a few minutes or goes away and then returns.
When should I worry about left arm pain?
Left arm pain — without chest pain — may be a dull ache or a shooting pain, and it may accompany other symptoms, such as headaches and muscle weakness. If the pain is severe or persistent, see a doctor. Seek emergency care if the pain results from trauma or if there are any symptoms of a stroke or heart attack.
Can massage cause a stroke?
Deep muscle massages have been known to loosen arterial plaque. In other cases, massages have torn the wall of the carotid arteries, called dissection of an artery, leading to blood clots that, if dislodged, could travel to the brain, causing a blockage and stroke.
Should I be worried if my left arm hurts?
Is Left arm pain a symptom of anxiety?
Anxiety can cause pain in the left arm. If it is due to a panic attack or muscle tension, it is likely to be temporary, but people with anxiety disorders may also experience chronic pain. Anxiety is a treatable condition.
Why massage should not be carried out if certain conditions are present?
Please be considerate to your therapist and cancel your massage if you come down with a contagious condition. Massage can loosen blood clots. This could be dangerous because the clot could migrate to the brain, lungs or heart.
Can left arm pain be caused by a heart attack?
If your left arm pain has a very short duration (seconds) it is very unlikely to be caused by the heart. Along the same lines, if the pain has persisted for a long time (for days or even weeks), it is also unlikely to be heart-related. If it lasts in the realm of a few minutes to a few hours, however, it may be a heart attack.
What does it mean when your left arm hurts when exercising?
Lastly, if pain in the left arm occurs only when you use the arm for physical activity, it is due to muscle issues, not heart. Left arm pain may also be related to angina, when there is a brief moment of insufficient blood flow to the heart.
What happens if you get an injection in your left arm?
The arm (mainly the shoulder and upper arm areas) is one of the most common injection sites. After the shot, you may feel some pain. So, if you were recently given an injection in your left arm, shoulder or hand, you might experience some left arm pain (6).
What is the connection between the heart and the left arm?
The nerves that supply your heart and left arm arise from the same nerve root in the spinal cord. Whenever a heart attack occurs, the nerves that supply the heart take the pain signal to this common nerve root in the spinal cord.