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What Causes Right Arm Pain While Sleeping?
Question: I have been opiate free for 2 weeks, but lately every time I fall asleep my right arm hurts alot at the crease and is very tinglie. I went for a EKG and blood work at the emergency room but they found nothing wrong.
Brief Answer:
carpal tunnel syndrome
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for contacting HCM with your health care concerns
I am glad to hear that you are opiate free as getting off opiates is a very difficult accomplishment. But now you are experiencing pain at night in your right arm. Is this pain and tingling at the wrist or at the elbow. If it is at the wrist the you more than likely have carpal tunnel syndrome. If it is at the elbow then you may have biceps tendonitis. Both of these conditions are not severe but that can impair your ability to sleep soundly. For both conditions I recommend taking an anti-inflammatory like aleve or ibuprofen. These medications are not addictive and will help reduce both the pain and the swelling associated with the nerves and muscles.
In addition to taking medication I recommend using a wrist splint for carpal tunnel during the day and also at night to help reduce the pain. You can find these splints at any drug store
In summary
1. carpal tunnel vs biceps tendonitis
2. treat with anti-inflammatory aleve or ibuprofen
3. Carpal tunnel splint
I hope this answers your question. Please contact HCM again with your health care concerns or questions
carpal tunnel syndrome
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for contacting HCM with your health care concerns
I am glad to hear that you are opiate free as getting off opiates is a very difficult accomplishment. But now you are experiencing pain at night in your right arm. Is this pain and tingling at the wrist or at the elbow. If it is at the wrist the you more than likely have carpal tunnel syndrome. If it is at the elbow then you may have biceps tendonitis. Both of these conditions are not severe but that can impair your ability to sleep soundly. For both conditions I recommend taking an anti-inflammatory like aleve or ibuprofen. These medications are not addictive and will help reduce both the pain and the swelling associated with the nerves and muscles.
In addition to taking medication I recommend using a wrist splint for carpal tunnel during the day and also at night to help reduce the pain. You can find these splints at any drug store
In summary
1. carpal tunnel vs biceps tendonitis
2. treat with anti-inflammatory aleve or ibuprofen
3. Carpal tunnel splint
I hope this answers your question. Please contact HCM again with your health care concerns or questions
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
the pain starts at the center of my arm and goes semi numb and your diagnosis is right on because I went to the gym 5 days ago and worked my biceps lightly but became sore and went away. Why is it though that it only kicks in when I try to fall asleep. Mind you Doc I have only slept about 7 hours in 16 days and 5 of those hours were in one night a week ago!! I'm almost at wits end. I have a job and a mom whose dying of small cell lung cancer and need to take care of here with lots of love and affection and it's getting harder as the days go on .
Brief Answer:
Biceps tendonitis
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for getting back to me with your response.
I am sorry to hear to you are under so much stress. I strongly urge you to take care of yourself at this time so you can be there for your mother later.
The biceps tendonitis hurts more during the night is because during the day you are constantly using your arm and your body is releasing local hormones called bradykinins which reduce the pain. When you try to sleep at night the amount of bradykinin reduces and then the tendon starts to react to the injury. that is also why in the morning the tendon or the arm feels stiff and needs more effort to get moving. To reduce the pain start taking the anti-inflammatory like aleve or ibuprofen. You will need to take them regularly for 2-3 weeks to get full benefit.
You could also add topical anti-inflammatory cream like icy hot or aspercream that may also help with the recovery.
In addition to the biceps pain which is impacting on your sleep I may also suggest start taking Benadryl which is an antihistamine and may help clear the bradykinins and if you take it at night may help you sleep better.
As some additional advice try doing some relaxation exercises, meditation and perhaps even some massage therapy.
Good luck
I hope this answers your question. Please contact HCM again with your health care concerns or questions
Biceps tendonitis
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for getting back to me with your response.
I am sorry to hear to you are under so much stress. I strongly urge you to take care of yourself at this time so you can be there for your mother later.
The biceps tendonitis hurts more during the night is because during the day you are constantly using your arm and your body is releasing local hormones called bradykinins which reduce the pain. When you try to sleep at night the amount of bradykinin reduces and then the tendon starts to react to the injury. that is also why in the morning the tendon or the arm feels stiff and needs more effort to get moving. To reduce the pain start taking the anti-inflammatory like aleve or ibuprofen. You will need to take them regularly for 2-3 weeks to get full benefit.
You could also add topical anti-inflammatory cream like icy hot or aspercream that may also help with the recovery.
In addition to the biceps pain which is impacting on your sleep I may also suggest start taking Benadryl which is an antihistamine and may help clear the bradykinins and if you take it at night may help you sleep better.
As some additional advice try doing some relaxation exercises, meditation and perhaps even some massage therapy.
Good luck
I hope this answers your question. Please contact HCM again with your health care concerns or questions
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Thank you Doc, but you confused me by saying the bradykinins help make the pain go away, yet your advising me to clear them out with the benadryl. I'm confused.Am I clearing them out to make way for more?
Brief Answer:
bradykinin are the causing the pain
Detailed Answer:
Sorry about the confusion. During injury bradykinins are released from the damaged tissue and these compounds cause pain. By reducing the bradykinins the pain will reduce. These compounds are very similar to histamine that causes tissue swelling congestion and increased blood flow to the area. Therefore by reducing the bradykinins there is less congestion and blood flow allowing for less pain and inflammation.
I hope that clears that up
Again good luck
bradykinin are the causing the pain
Detailed Answer:
Sorry about the confusion. During injury bradykinins are released from the damaged tissue and these compounds cause pain. By reducing the bradykinins the pain will reduce. These compounds are very similar to histamine that causes tissue swelling congestion and increased blood flow to the area. Therefore by reducing the bradykinins there is less congestion and blood flow allowing for less pain and inflammation.
I hope that clears that up
Again good luck
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
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