Extremity Pain: Causes, Symptoms, & Treatments

If you’ve experienced pain anywhere below your head and torso, you’ve experienced what’s known as extremity pain. While this pain is common, it may also indicate a more significant medical issue. So, what causes extremity pain, what are the symptoms, and what treatments are available for your extremity pain?

Causes of Extremity Pain

There are two types of extremities: upper extremities (referring to the arms and upper torso) and lower extremities (referring to the legs and lower torso). In both cases, extremity pain can be debilitating and interfere with quality of life.

The root cause of most extremity pain is stress. “Stress” is a term often used to describe mental and emotional debilitation, but in medical terms, “stress” refers to anything that inflicts trauma upon the body.

Specific causes of extremity pain include:

• Poor posture. Remember when your grandmother told you to “stand up straight”? She wasn’t just admonishing you but preparing you for a lifetime of good health. Over time, poor posture can result in various disorders, including extremity pain.
• Infection. Some bacterial and viral infections target the extremities, causing pain with each movement.
• Bone fractures. Bone fractures – even the smallest ones – can cause pain in the extremities long after they’ve healed, especially if they haven’t healed properly.
• A sedentary lifestyle. If you’re not an active person – and most Americans aren’t today – suddenly adopting an active lifestyle will cause extremity pain.

Symptoms of Extremity Pain

The symptoms of extremity pain are immediately evident, and the intensity can range from a dull, throbbing pain to an extreme, burning, localized pain. Regardless of the intensity of the pain, it can compromise day-to-day life. They include:

• Discoloration. When your extremities take on a bluish or purplish tone, this indicates poor circulation. Over time, poor circulation can cause extremity pain and, if left untreated, permanently damage the extremities.
• Redness or warmth in the affected area. When your extremities are red and warm, it can indicate an infection. Over time, an untreated infection will cause extremity pain.
• General illness. Another sign of infection is a general feeling of illness, including symptoms like a fever and chills. A more severe infection can trigger extremity pain.
• Wounds that are Slow to Heal. Severe wounds take time to heal correctly, but a minor wound (such as a cut or a scrape) shouldn’t take more than a few days to recover. Slow-healing wounds are usually the first sign of diabetes, which can cause extremity pain if left untreated.

Treatments Available for Extremity Pain

Countless treatments are available for extremity pain, and treatments depend on the severity and source of the pain. Not all treatments will be effective for all pain, and consulting with a doctor before adopting a regimen. Available treatments include:

• Bursa injections. When extremity pain is caused by compromised bursa sacs (the fluid-filled sacs between the joints), injections can refill those sacs and reduce pain.
• Steroids. When the epidural space (a layer filled with lymphatics, fat, and blood vessels located between the spinal cord and the spinal canal) becomes inflamed, it causes extremity pain. In cases like these, steroidal injections are the only way for the sufferer to find relief.
• Physical therapy. This treatment is often recommended for extremity pain caused by physical exertion or strain.
• Medication. A patient will have medications prescribed if the extremities pain is so severe that only a regimen with painkillers is effective in treating it. However, these medications will only be administered under the strict care and observation of a physician at AllCare Health & Pain, as such prescriptions can easily lead to abuse and addictions if not managed correctly.
• Radiofrequency neurotomy. Sometimes known as ablation, radiofrequency neurotomy is a minor surgery in which heat destroys tissue. By cutting off the so-called “pain pathway,” patients who suffer from chronic pain can experience some relief from their symptoms.
• Peripheral nerve stimulation. Known by its abbreviation PNS, this process uses electricity to cut off the so-called “pain pathway.” While neurotomy targets the spinal nerves, PNS targets the nerve experiencing pain.

Are You Experiencing Extremity Pain? Let AllCare Health & Pain Find You Relief

Life would be much better if you didn’t have to live in pain, and that’s why the doctors at AllCare Health & Pain are here to help. We are a world-class pain management center servicing patients in Jersey City and the surrounding areas and have helped hundreds of clients find relief from extremity pain. Contact us online or call us today at 201-386-9800, and let us take care of the pain in your extremities.