Feeling a numbing of the left arm can mean a number of health problems. Although this is a traditional sign for a heart attack, it should be kept in mind that this symptom alone does not usually indicate a heart attack. Although you should not ignore pains produced in the body making hurried conclusions is not appropriate. If you feel persistent numbness in the left arm or if the arm is beginning to hurt, even without having done any physical activity, it will be necessary to seek medical attention to determine the problem. If you're asking yourself: why is my left arm numb? Then at OneHowTo we explain all of the possible reasons for this reaction.
If using the muscles of the left arm in sports or when carrying heavy objects it is possible you have a sprain or muscular distension in the arm. Your left arm may be numb as a symptom common in this type of injuries. You can use a bag of ice immediately after the injury.
On the other hand, one of the most common causes of left arm numbness (as well as the right side, hands and feet or other parts of the body) is inadequate blood flow. In other words, if blood does not circulate correctly towards that part of the body we will feel a tingling feeling; that is what we colloquially refer to as 'I have dead arm'.
Sleeping in a poor position, very tight clothing or jewelry etc. may impede blood flowing appropriately and we can experiment a sense of pins and needles.
If your left arm starts to hurt without apparent reason, you must seek medical care. Depending on your age, a heart attack or stroke may be the source. Furthermore, it is also possible to feel pain in the jaw, the left shoulder, difficulty in breathing and tightness of the chest. If this is the case, go straight to accident and emergency to reduce the possibility of irreparable damage to the heart or the brain.
Furthermore, injuries to the peripheral nerves can also lead to numbness in the left arm. An injury to the neck could make a tickling feeling in the arm or hand, as can be seen with conditions related to the spinal column: slipped disc, dislocated or broken vertebrae, trapped nerves, etc.
Normally, in this case you only experiment this numbness in your arm, there are no other symptoms such as jaw pain or breathing problems. In any case, you must go to a specialist to get a proper diagnosis.
A repeated movement is another cause for numbness in both arms, the left and the right. If your work requires to spend hours doing the same activities, certain muscles could become tense.
Visit your doctor to determine whether it is carpal tunnel syndrome. Variation of work tasks, remaining hydrated and taking breaks are ways to avoid this condition.
One of the symptoms of hereditary amyloidosis is numbness in the left and right arms. This disease is due to the accumulation of amyloids in body tissues. Amyloids are one of the four essential proteins necessary to ensure that the body functions normally.
This condition is usually hereditary but can also appear spontaneously, in patients above 70 years old or as a consequence of a myeloma.
We recommend you seek medical care to prevent sudden problems because there are many possible cause of left arm numbness. In this way, the doctor will examine and diagnose why the numbness of the left arm is happening.
You should seek emergency medical care if the numbness appears suddenly and intensely and especially if you have other symptoms like dizziness, confusion, weakness and sudden intense headache.
If you are worried about heart attacks due to high blood pressure, find out how to lower it in this OneHowTo article.
This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to Why Is my Left Arm Numb? - All Possible Causes, we recommend you visit our Diseases & secondary effects category.
- Never ignore pain which occurs in your body as it could mean you have health problems.
- This article is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. If there is numbness in the arm seek medical care immediately.