Muscle Pain

[Rachel]

I often get sore arms. It usually happens when I use them for too long doing something like typing, holding a book open, or building block towers with my son. But sometimes they just start hurting for no apparent reason. Often I'll be lying on the couch resting and my arm will just start to burn. It feels like I'm doing bicep curls or something, yet my arm is completely at rest. If I continue to rest, then it eventually goes away, but if I do anything with my arm it will really start to ache badly. Does anyone else get this? Do you know what it is?

Rachel

[juliegee]

Hi Rachel-

This may not be the same, but occasionally I'll have days where the inside of my arms burn from under the armpit down to my wrists. When this happens, my legs are sometimes affected as well. The burning is on the inside of my thighs down to my ankles. Very strange & irritating. Unlike you, this is not connected to excessive use. It is random. I always thought it was nerves as opposed to muscles. Does this sound anything like what you're experiencing?

Julie

[Rachel]

Julie,

Thanks for sharing. That sounds a little different, though. My pain usually starts in my bicep, but sometimes it starts at the back of my neck and shoulder area and works its way down. It almost feels like I'm constantly flexing my muscles, yet I'm relaxing. I don't think it is nerve pain. I get that in my feet, but the burning pain in my arms is different.

Rachel

[preacherswife]

The neck and shoulder pain is quite common in us POTSies. I have it ALL the time, and it just bites. The bicep pain is a new one on me, but it's probably just your "spot" that hurts. I have one spot in my back that hurts quite often too, and it's always the same place and the same burny pain. Yuck.

[Rachel]

Valerie,

On your spot that hurts, does it feel like your muscle is constantly flexed, weak, and just needs to relax, but can't?

Rachel

[pat57]

Rachel, I get that in my legs. The Dr. ordered an arterial Doppler.

FYI..

Atherosclerosis Symptoms in the Legs, Pelvis, or Arms

If the arteries that supply your legs, pelvis, or arms are affected by atherosclerosis, you have atherosclerosis symptoms of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). These symptoms can include:

* Claudication, which is pain, ache, or cramping in the muscles that occurs during exercise but improves with rest

* Cold or numb feeling in the feet or toes, especially at night.

[ajw4790]

Hi!

I think if I understand what you are saying, I kinda get it as well. I think that it is more of a fatiguing of the muscles. I think it has to do with them not getting enough blood supply, and therefore enough oxygen, which makes them easily fatiguable. So, they have to work extra hard and then start to burn with the overexertion and then if rested will get to feeling better. It is a lot like doing bicep curls except a lot less physical work, but it can have along the same line of "side effects".

I am not sure if this is what you were talking about or not, but it does sound quite a bit like what I frequently have.

Ask your dr. if you have questions. For claudication it will be intense pain, so I wouldn't stress over it, but if you have concern check it out.

Hope that helps!

[Rachel]

AJW,

Thanks, that helps. I think that's the same I'm talking about (it's just so hard to explain!). But yes, it feels like bicep curls with hardly doing any physical work! Sometimes I think I haven't done any physical work, but then I realize that I've been holding a book open, which can cause the muscle fatigue for me.

Thanks for your explanation.

Rachel