Re: Aching left arm, please help!
Well, the symptoms described would not be characteristic of cancer. Pain is typically experienced in the latter stages and it is gradual with no remission as opposed to acute onset followed by variations of intermittent relief.
Her symptoms and progression sound more like vasospasm of the median nerve, sometimes termed Causalgia. The pain can be quite severe, feels deep within the arm and typically has a very acute onset. The affected arm can feel extremely painful to the touch and weakness, stiffness or even both can also occur as well. There can even be a change in skin color and patients report residual pain to be in the context of burning, itching or pins & needles.
While this type of phenomenon is usually observed subsequent to trauma that causes nerve damage, it can also occur ideopathically, meaning that the cause is sometimes unknown.
Again, the symptoms described would be inconsistent with cancer.
Best regards,
Rutheford Rane, MD (ret.)
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Best regards and Good Health