¿Tiene dolor en brazos y piernas?
Arm and leg pain may affect any limb and is a phrase used to describe pain or discomfort that affect an individual’s limbs or extremity such as the knee or the elbow and in some cases the entire leg or arm. Most of the underlying causes often affect the legs.
Some of the pain might come from the joint but joint pain is a different topic discussed elsewhere. The pain might be irregular or constant and this may be determined by the cause. Pain has been noted to arise from the bones, muscles, nerves, skin and in some cases, in the brain such as in phantom pain or psychogenic pain.
Pain in the arm might be as a result of pathology involving the neck and in some cases the pain in the legs might be as a result of low back or lumbar spine problems. The term limb pain or more specific arm pain or leg pain may be used until a definitive diagnosis has been made such as tendinitis, peripheral neuropathy, broken arm or broken leg.
There are quite a number of people affected by arm and leg pain around the world and this interferes with their ability to move or continue with their daily activities.
Tipos de dolor en brazos y piernas
There are different types of arm and leg pain and the type depends on the cause and the symptoms. The most common limb pain types include costochondritis, Tietze’s syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, hip bursitis, knee pain, tarsal tunnel pain, plantar fasciitis, Morton’s neuroma, cancer pain, interstitial cystitis, and irritable bowel syndrome among others. The type of pain is classified according to the part of the limb it affects and according to the underlying cause of the pain.
Síntomas
Because of the wide range of causes behind arm and leg pain, the symptoms will vary and be specific to a type of limb pain.
Though this is the case, there are general symptoms such as weakness, numbness, tingling, positional pain, constant pain or a burning pain.
There are other symptoms experienced by patients but will be discussed in the different types of arm and leg pain.
Causas y factores de riesgo
The risk factors of arm and leg pain are difficult to pinpoint. As the body of a human being ages musculoskeletal pain becomes a common occurrence.
If the aging process is unhealthy, the musculoskeletal pain will often be accompanied by other medical conditions that might result in arm and/or leg pain. Most people will experience limb pain as they age. In most cases, this pain is self-limiting which means that with time, it will go away on its own.
There are certain health conditions such as obesity that will increase the risk of leg and arm pain. The risks get worse when these health conditions are mixed with the aging process as this combination will increase the musculoskeletal problems that lead to limb pain.
Depression has also been identified as a cause of musculoskeletal pain. The key to identifying the cause and determining the risk factors is the identification of the underlying cause of the pain. Some of the common causes include a broken bone, blood clot in the veins, bacterial infections involving the skin, compressed spinal cord or nerve roots.
There are also uncommon causes which are serious including deep soft tissue infection, heart attack (this affects the arm only), and acute arterial occlusion (this is a sudden blocking of an artery in the leg or arm). Other less common causations include bone infections, bone tumors, and nerve related pressure or nerve degeneration.
Diagnóstico
Historia
Most health practitioners will use the patient’s history in the diagnostic process. The history will depend on the cause of the pain with the main complaint being the pain or discomfort in the arm or leg (in some parts or in the entire limb).
Some of the terms that are commonly used by the patients include, stabbing, aching, throbbing, and burning pain. The history also includes information such as the genesis of the pain, the location of the pain and the factors that increase or alleviate the pain. Other factors may include history or strain, trauma or injury that preceded the pain.
Condiciones
Dolor de brazos y piernas
Tratamiento del túnel carpiano
Síndrome del intestino irritable
"He estado viniendo a Integrated desde 2008 y recomiendo encarecidamente a cualquier persona con cualquier tipo de dolor para darles una oportunidad a todos en la oficina, incluyendo el Dr's son muy amables y te harán sentir bienvenido y trabajar con usted para encontrar una solución que funcione para usted para obtener su dolor bajo control . A+++"
- DAVID ARCE
Examen físico
The physical examination will also rely on the causes of the arm and leg pain. The exam will range from just normal to a revelation of tender spots, warmth, coolness, redness, swelling and obvious deformities.
There will be limitation in a number of limb movements and the affected arm or leg might be weaker than the other limb and there might be sensory alteration that will bring about tingling or numbness sensations.
Pruebas
El médico puede realizar análisis de sangre para detectar artritis o cualquier otra enfermedad que pueda estar detrás del dolor en las extremidades. Las deformidades de los tejidos y los huesos pueden comprobarse mediante pruebas de imagen como la tomografía computarizada, la resonancia magnética y las radiografías. Las radiografías pueden utilizarse para detectar coágulos sanguíneos o vasos sanguíneos debilitados y dilatados en las arterias de la extremidad. La velocidad de conducción nerviosa puede emplearse para comprobar el daño nervioso y evaluar la actividad eléctrica en los músculos del brazo o la pierna afectados.
Tratamiento
The treatment of arm and leg pain heavily relies on the affected part and the diagnosis. Most treatments are better handled when the underlying cause of the pain has been identified through the diagnostic processes. Painkiller based treatment must be combined or preceded by the diagnosis and treatment of the underlying cause.
There are successful treatment programs that incorporate the development of home-based exercise programs and modification of behavior. There is a traditional modification approach referred to as RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation).
Rehabilitación
Las terapias ocupacional y física pueden ser útiles sobre todo cuando el paciente necesita mantenerse físicamente activo sin arriesgarse a sufrir más daños y molestias. Los terapeutas profesionales de los programas de rehabilitación proporcionarán consejos sobre qué hacer y qué no hacer que guiarán al paciente para mejorar el resultado funcional incluso en casos en los que el dolor es crónico. Nunca se insistirá lo suficiente en el desarrollo de programas de ejercicio en casa y en la modificación del comportamiento.
Pronóstico
El pronóstico dependerá de los factores subyacentes, la extensión del daño y la dirección del tratamiento seguido. Por tanto, el pronóstico oscilará entre una recuperación completa en la que el dolor desaparezca y el paciente pueda volver a sus actividades normales y una discapacidad prolongada.
Es importante tratar con seriedad cualquier dolor constante o recurrente en el brazo o la pierna, especialmente cuando la causa no es aparente, como en el caso de una lesión física. El paciente debe acudir a un médico cualificado para recibir un diagnóstico y un tratamiento exhaustivos que detengan cualquier causa subyacente antes de que se produzcan daños mayores y alivien el dolor y las molestias que incapacitan al paciente para realizar actividades vitales normales.
