Arm Pain

This Care Guide Covers:

If not, see these topics

When to Call Your Doctor

	Call 911 Now (your child may need an ambulance) If
	Not moving or too weak to stand You think your child has a life-threatening emergency
	Call Your Doctor Now (night or day) If
	Your child looks or acts very sick Can't use arm normally Can't move a joint normally Swollen joint Muscles are weak (loss of strength) Numbness (loss of feeling) present over 1 hour Severe pain or cries when arm is touched or moved You think your child needs to be seen urgently
	Call Your Doctor Within 24 Hours (between 9 am and 4 pm) If
	You think your child needs to be seen, but not urgently Fever is present Bright red area on skin
	Call Your Doctor During Weekday Office Hours If
	You have other questions or concerns Cause of arm pain is not clear Arm pain lasts over 7 days Arm pains or muscle cramps are a frequent problem
	Parent Care at Home If
	Caused by overusing the muscles Cause is clear and harmless. (Examples are a sliver that's removed or a recent shot.)

Causes & Health Information

Causes

Muscle Overuse (Strained Muscles). Arm pains are often from hard muscle work or sports. Examples are too much throwing or swimming. They are most common in the shoulder. This type of pain can last from hours up to 7 days.
Muscle Cramps. Brief pains that last 1 to 15 minutes are often due to muscle cramps. These occur in the hand after too much writing or typing.
Viral Illness. Mild muscle aches in both arms also occur with many viral illnesses.
Serious Causes. Broken bones (fractures) or joint infections (arthritis).

Pain Scale

Mild: Your child feels pain and tells you about it. But, the pain does not keep your child from any normal activities. School, play and sleep are not changed.
Moderate: The pain keeps your child from doing some normal activities. It may wake him or her up from sleep.
Severe: The pain is very bad. It keeps your child from doing all normal activities.

CARE ADVICE FOR STRAINED MUSCLES

What You Should Know:
- Strained muscles are common after using them too much during sports.
- An example is throwing a ball over and over again.
- Weekend warriors who are out of shape get the most muscle pains.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
Pain Medicine:
- To help with the pain, give acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen. Use as needed. See Dose Table.
Cold Pack:
- For pain or swelling, use a cold pack. You can also use ice wrapped in a wet cloth.
- Put it on the sore muscles for 20 minutes.
- Repeat 4 times on the first day, then as needed.
- Caution: Avoid frostbite.
Heat Pack:
- If pain lasts over 2 days, put heat on the sore muscle.
- Use a heat pack, heating pad or warm wet washcloth.
- Do this for 10 minutes, then as needed.
- Caution: Avoid burns.
What to Expect:
- A strained muscle hurts for 2 or 3 days.
- The pain often peaks on day 2.
- After severe overuse, the pain may last a week.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Fever or swollen joint occurs
- Pain caused by work or sports lasts over 7 days
- Pain gets worse

And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms.

Arm Pain
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