A number of issues may cause upper arm muscle ache. People experience aches and pain differently, and severe pain to one person might feel like a dull ache to another. Speak to your doctor if you are concerned about pain in your arm or shoulder to help you find adequate treatment for your specific symptoms.
Pinched Nerve
A pinched nerve can cause pain or aching sensations in the shoulder and upper arm. A pinched nerve in the neck or upper back area may affect nerve pathways that extend from the neck to the shoulders, the arms and the hands. Try gentle stretching to reduce pain caused by pinched or compressed nerves. If you don't find relief through such methods, schedule a visit with your doctor to determine cause and potential diagnosis or therapy.
Exercise
Muscle ache is often the result of overexertion or over-exercising. Many forms of exercise build muscles. What follows is a healing process that promotes growth and development of new muscle cells and fibers, creating larger and bigger muscles. The breakdown of the muscle fibers caused by tearing or breakage of muscle fibers leads to the stiffness and ache that you may feel for a day or two after an intense workout.
Bursitis
Bursitis may cause your upper arm to throb with a deep ache. Pain worsens when you move your arm or shoulder. Your shoulder and upper arm may also appear red and swollen, or hot to the touch. You might also feel aches and pains in muscles surrounding the shoulder joint caused by swelling and inflammation of the joint tissues.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia affects the muscles and joints in the body and causes unexplained pain and exhaustion. Women are diagnosed with fibromyalgia more often than men, according to MayoClinic.com. The condition typically produces pain in "tender points" -- the shoulders and along the back of the arm near the elbows. Pain often radiates from these points along connecting muscles.
Warning Sign for Heart Attack
A heart attack may cause pain in the upper arm. Some feel this pain as sharp and sudden, while others describe a dull, aching throb. You may sense that the pain originates in the muscles, but it may be deeper in the joint or caused by irritated nerve endings. If you experience unexplained pain in your upper arm not caused by obvious factors such as overexertion or injury, schedule a visit with your doctor. If your pain accompanies other symptoms, such as chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath or a feeling of nausea, get to an emergency room immediately.
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