Radial nerve pain both arms and joint pain

[balamuti]

Hi all, I have been suffering with extremely painful nerve pain down both arms for the last 4 weeks or so, My physio said it is the radial nerve, no idea why this has happened or where it is coming from, I am 46 years old am fit and active but over the last 4 months my joints also have got steadily worse, wrist pain is very bad, very stiff hips and knees, I've lost range of movement in my arms and cannot reach behind my back to wash my hair or dry it. I've also got neck and shoulder pain, really fed up with it now. has anyone else had similar?.

[Hidden]

Hi there. Your description of your nasty pain reminds me pretty much of how I was prior to my first rheumatologist’s diagnosis of RA. It was also in my feet and knees but various parts took turns to kick off until it finally settled in my arms from shoulders to knuckles.

One way to help a diagnosis, if you haven’t yet had one, may be to ask a rheum of even your GP for a short trial of oral steroids. My GP did this for me, making sure I’d tapered off the 4 week course in good time for my rheum appointment. This definitely helped to cement my diagnosis - although it turned out that I had Sjögren’s rather than RA.

Have you had an MRI of your cervical spine yet? I’m afraid you aren’t too young for degenerative disc disease - it starts for most people in their 30s my physio explained. An MRI would also show inflammation if this is part of the problem for you.

I can relate all too well to this pain you’re describing as I’m flaring presently in both arms. I do have a few herniated discs at both ends of my spine but am told by my physio and my GP that this wouldn’t explain the bilateral arm pain.

[balamuti in reply to Hidden]

Hi there,

These symptoms are ongoing, I have been tested for RA and it came back negative, Currently I am waiting to see Prof Ian Bruce at the MRI Manchester, I have seen the Haematologist a few weeks back and she said it could also be Polymyalgia Rheumatica. Lots of unanswered questions, she suggested I start a course of steroids and initially I was a bit scared but have decided now to go ahead and try them as my pain is very bad and its affecting my daily life. How did they diagnose Sjogens by the way?.