Pain in right arm above elbow

The main purpose of this article is to give you a better insight into problems with pain in the right arm above the elbow and the possible causes of this uncomfortable condition. Only after we are faced with the incapacity to use our arms the way we are used to do we learn how to appreciate them more, because until then, we somehow seem to take them for granted. Any pain in the arm above the elbow can vary from moderate to severe pain. The pain can be so strong that a person may find it difficult even to raise the arm in some cases, and it may be constant or intermittent, coming and going.

The causes of arm pain just above the elbow can be various, and while in some cases the pain can be the result of a simple injury or sprained muscle, in others the cause of the pain may be related to much more serious medical conditions. Pain above the elbow can appear due to various kinds of fractures in the bones. In such situations, the pain is often followed by an inflammation of the area that surrounds the injured bone. You will usually know that you sustained an injury and seek medical help, but some fractures can be subtle in symptoms, to the point where you are not sure how it even happened.

If a nerve has been damaged as well, numbness in the arm can appear and this is one of the more serious situations, which may often lead to paralysis, which is a (sometimes temporary) inability to move a certain muscle, or more than one.

On the other side, due to some heavy lifting or other excessive use of the muscles, or due to some injury, the tendons (the tissue that joins the bone and the muscle) can be inflamed as well.

Swelling of the arm joints accompanied bt pain in the arm above the elbow are other symptoms of this inflammation.

Muscle injuries such as overstretching of the muscles also cause pain above elbow. The most common injuries of this kind happen during frequent repetitions of certain activities and they are usually connected with some sort of sport activity. These conditions are also called repetitive stress injuries, and tennis elbow is one example. Tenderness, swelling and stiffness of the arm muscles above the elbow are the main symptoms.

Damaged nerves may also be the reason for the pain in the arm above the elbow, and, besides the pain, the following symptoms are a loss of the control over the arm, irritation, and swelling. A nerve can be damaged in an accident, a contact sport, or even in a bad fall. A strong pain in the arm above elbow can appear due to the heartburn. Diseases like arthritis can also cause this kind of pain.

When it comes to pain in the arm above elbow, in many cases when the cause is not a serious injury, the pain will subside by itself spontaneously, with rest, and there is no need for medical attention. Resting and putting ice on the painful spot may relieve the pain. Still, if the pain continues for a longer time than expected, it is recommended to visit a doctor for the final diagnosis.