Arm Weakness: Causes & Reasons

Possible Causes for Arm Weakness

Imbalance One-sided arm or leg weakness. [strokeassociation.org]

Arm Weakness Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? Speech Is speech slurred? [strokeassociation.org]

A: Arm weakness. Ask the person to raise both arms. Is there weakness or numbness on one side? One arm drifting downward is a sign of one-sided arm weakness. [medicinenet.com]

Rotator Cuff Tear

There may be a snapping sensation and immediate weakness in your upper arm. Tears that develop slowly due to overuse also cause pain and arm weakness. [orthoinfo.aaos.org]

Symptoms Symptoms of a rotator cuff injury include pain and tenderness in the shoulder, pain on elevating the arm, weakness of the shoulder, and pain when sleeping on the [mydr.com.au]

These tears, however, may still result in arm weakness and other symptoms. [orthoinfo.aaos.org]

Cervical Spondylosis

Muscles in one or both arms may become weak and waste away, making the arms weak. [msdmanuals.com]

Nausea, vomiting, giddiness or vertigo Muscle weakness or wasting of muscles of the shoulder, arms, or hands Weakness in lower limbs and loss of control of the bladder and [vikaspedia.in]

If spinal nerve roots are compressed, the neck is usually painful, and the pain often radiates to the head, shoulders, or arms. [msdmanuals.com]

Brachial Plexus Neuropathy

Acute brachial plexus neuropathy is characterized by acute onset of shoulder girdle and arm pain, followed by weakness of the shoulder and arm muscles. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

He denied sensory symptoms in the arms. Progressive left arm weakness evolved >3 months after the onset of pain and stabilized thereafter. [care.diabetesjournals.org]

We describe a 66-year-old woman with right arm discomfort, weakness, and acrocyanosis that developed 21 years after local radiation for breast adenocarcinoma. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Brachial Plexus Neuritis

Acute brachial plexus neuritis is an uncommon disorder characterized by severe shoulder and upper arm pain followed by marked upper arm weakness. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Brachial plexus neuritis (BN) is an uncommon disorder characterized by severe shoulder and upper arm pain followed by marked upper arm weakness. [diseasesatoz.com]

Weakness Follows Pain Symptoms Shoulder pain Arm pain Weakness in shoulder, upper arm, forearm, or hand The affected arm usually begins to get weak about a day after the pain [vaccineinjuryhelpcenter.com]

Cervical Spine Disease

Patients may suffer from an inability to balance their head, weakness in their arm(s), inability to work with arms over the head, grip weakness, dropping things from one or [sites.google.com]

weakness/numbness in the arms or legs, or problems with balance. [spine-health.com]

[…] in the arms associated with neck pain is a herniated disc that "pinches" a nerve where it exits the spinal column. [wwwp.medtronic.com]

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Type 6

Impaired use of arms and legs. Weakness and fatigue. Weight loss. “Thick” speech and difficulty projecting voice. [my.clevelandclinic.org]

Within a month the weakness spread to the left upper arm and both lower arms, followed by severe dysphagia. [jamanetwork.com]

arms or legs. [symptoma.com]

Cervical Myelopathy

Cervical myelopathy is a serious condition caused by pressure on the spinal cord that can lead to hand numbness along with arm weakness and, possibly, difficulty walking. [livehealthy.chron.com]

If you have neck pain, with tingling or weakness to the arms or legs, you should at least discuss the complaints with your physician. [shimspine.com]

Symptoms of Cervical Myelopathy Painful, stiff neck Arm pain Numbness in the arms, hands, or fingers Weakness in arms or legs Frequently dropping things Clumsy when walking [geauxspine.com]

Shoulder Impingement Syndrome

Other symptoms of shoulder impingement syndrome include: Shoulder and arm weakness Worse pain at night Minor and constant pain in the arm Pain from the front of the shoulder [bonsecours.com]

arm weakness Many cases of shoulder impingement are caused by overuse. [healthline.com]

Shoulder impingement syndrome symptoms The primary symptom of shoulder impingement syndrome is a sudden pain in the shoulder when you lift your arms above your head. [bonsecours.com]

Acute Hepatic Porphyria

Symptoms may include vomiting, abdominal or back pain, weakness in arms or legs, and mental symptoms. [msdmanuals.com]

These may include: vomiting insomnia constipation pain in the arms and legs muscle weakness confusion, hallucinations, and seizures heart palpitations Hereditary coproporphyria [healthline.com]

Neurological symptoms preceding diagnosis included leg/arm pain (45.2%), seizures (12.7%), neuropathy (11.1%), and muscle weakness (10.3%). [n.neurology.org]

Brachial Plexus Injury

RESULTS: Five patients had unilateral arm weakness after the initiation of ECMO therapy. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Weakness in your hand or arm. Weakness in any part of the arm after an injury. Paralysis of the upper arm or shoulder. Neck pain. Any of the above symptoms in both arms. [upmc.com]

It can cause symptoms like: The feeling of an electric shock or burning sensation shooting down your arm. Numbness and weakness in your arm. [upmc.com]

Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder with Anti-AQP4 Antibodies

If the attack is higher such as around the neck (cervical) area, then both arm and leg weakness can occur, and in severe cases breathing can be affected. [gosh.nhs.uk]

They can also develop transverse myelitis (TM), which causes weakness or paralysis in the arms and legs, as well as a loss of bladder and bowel control. [medicalnewstoday.com]

Most people with NMO develop weakness in their arms and legs. Others may have more severe symptoms. [hopkinsmedicine.org]

Lambert-Eaton Syndrome

The first symptom noted by patients is usually proximal leg muscle weakness (80%), followed by weakness of the arms. [ime.acponline.org]

[…] by arm weakness, at the point of maximum disease severity. [jnnp.bmj.com]

Muscle weakness in myasthenia gravis tends to develop in a craniocaudal direction, and in the opposite direction in LEMS. View graph of relations [rug.nl]

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

Over time, people with CMT may develop hand and arm weakness. Typical daily activities, such as fastening buttons or writing, can become difficult. [orthoinfo.aaos.org]

Progressive arm weakness can also be present as distal muscles atrophy. Compare peripheral neuropathy. [medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com]

Marie Tooth Disease that has affected their hands and arms, leading to weakness in these areas. [dovemed.com]

Hemorrhagic Stroke

Arm : Is one arm weak? Speech : Is it jumbled, slurred or lost? Time to call 111. A stroke is an emergency. [health.govt.nz]

Imbalance One-sided arm or leg weakness. [strokeassociation.org]

A = Arm: Can the person raise both arms, or is one arm weak? S = Speech: Is speech slurred or confusing? T = Time: Time is critical!! Call 9-1-1 immediately! [health.ny.gov]

Multifocal Motor Neuropathy

A 50-year-old waitress presented with a 10-year history of progressive weakness in her right arm without atrophy and with tonic hand spasms suggesting a central motor disorder [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

affecting especially the arms, with little or no sensory deficit. [medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com]

Weakness progresses asymmetrically, but usually remains more prominent in the arms than in the legs. [mmcneuro.wordpress.com]

Pompe Disease

The muscles in the arms and legs look typical, but are very weak. Breathing muscles are also weak. [agsdus.org]

Adult form: Weakness may affect only specific muscle groups, eg upper arms, and may be asymmetrical. [patient.info]

Muscles slowly become weaker, especially the large muscles of the legs, trunk and later the arms. Due to muscle weakness, walking/climbing stairs becomes difficult. [web.archive.org]

Hereditary Coproporphyria

A 23-year-old man with epilepsy and a past history of abdominal pain and ileus, developed hypertension and arm and bulbar weakness when valproic acid and carbamazepine were [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

[…] myopathy affecting the arms, is common. [the-medical-dictionary.com]

Other symptoms include: Muscle pain Muscle weakness or paralysis Numbness or tingling Pain in the arms or legs Pain in the back Personality changes Attacks can sometimes be [medlineplus.gov]

Acute Flaccid Myelitis

Most people will have sudden onset of: Arm or leg weakness Loss of muscle tone and reflexes Sudden arm or leg weakness Some people will also have: Facial droop or weakness [cdc.gov]

For example, physical and/or occupational therapy may help with arm or leg weakness. Researchers do not know the long-term outcomes of people with AFM. [medlineplus.gov]

Published on Jul 9, 2019 AFM is a rare but serious syndrome that causes sudden arm or leg weakness, mostly in children. [youtube.com]

Pancoast Syndrome

Pancoast syndrome is a term used to describe unilateral shoulder and arm pain, weakness, and atrophy of hand muscles and Horner's syndrome as a result of a mass in the lung [symptoma.com]

Pain can be due to sympathetic nerves damage, but also due to brachial plexus injury as indicated by the fact that the patient has left arm weakness. [prep4usmle.com]

Pressure on the brachial plexus can cause several very specific symptoms: severe pain in the shoulder or the shoulder blade (scapula) pain in the arm and weakness of the hand [cancerresearchuk.org]

Brain Neoplasm

Symptoms of meningioma can include: headaches weakness in the arm or leg seizures changes in personality vision problems Glioblastoma Glioblastomas are malignant tumors. [medicalnewstoday.com]

Altered perception of touch or pressure, arm or leg weakness on 1 side of the body, or confusion with left and right sides of the body are linked to a tumor in the frontal [cancer.net]

[…] in legs/arms Loss of bladder/bowel control Difficulty walking Pituitary Gland Lack of energy Weight gain Mood Swings High blood pressure Diabetes Enlarged hands/feet (Women [braintumor.org]

Carotid Artery Occlusion

If you get symptoms such as facial weakness, arm weakness or speech problems, call 999 straight away. [bhf.org.uk]

In that time interval, there had been no recurrence of the transient right arm weakness. [journals.sagepub.com]

A week later, he developed sudden onset complete left arm weakness and global aphasia. [frontiersin.org]

X-Linked Scapuloperoneal Myopathy

Most myopathies present with proximal, symmetric limb weakness (arms or legs) with preserved reflexes and sensation. [accessmedicine.mhmedical.com]

(omim 253601) An autosomal dominant degenerative muscle disease characterized by slowly progressive weakness of the muscles of the face, upper-arm, and shoulder girdle. [icd10data.com]

Inverted axillary fold Simian arm position while standing. Ventilatory muscle weakness - dyspnea. [sites.google.com]

Cerebral Thrombosis

Facial weakness: can the person smile? Has the mouth or eye drooped? Arm weakness: can the person raise both arms? [netdoctor.co.uk]

A - Arm weakness: One arm may feel weak or numb. [livescience.com]

The most common signs of a stroke are: Numbness or weakness in your face, arm, or leg, especially on one side Confusion or trouble understanding other people Trouble speaking [netdoctor.co.uk]

Astrocytoma of the Brain

Symptoms Children with typical brain stem gliomas present with ataxia (clumsiness or wobbliness), weakness of a leg and/or arm, double vision, and sometimes headaches, vomiting [roryd.org]

Depending on the location, gliomas may cause headaches, nausea, seizures, weakness or numbness in the arms or legs, impairments in language function, blurred vision, changes [ansdocs.com]

arms and legs Diagnosis After a neurological examination, a CT scan and/or MR scan is required. [nbt.nhs.uk]

Frozen Shoulder

[…] in the shoulder Disturbed sleep when lying on the affected shoulder Inability to perform basic functions such as combing the hair or stretching your hand behind your back Arm [orthoatlanta.com]

When to seek medical advice Call your healthcare provider right away if any of these occur: Your shoulder is red or swollen Your arm feels weak or numb Your shoulder movement [fairview.org]

Increased pain when lifting the arm or extending it out and lowering the arm back down. Weakness. A popping or clicking noise when moving the shoulder. [niams.nih.gov]

Mononeuritis Multiplex

[…] by weakness and numbness. [5] Those who suffer from Parsonage–Turner experience acute, sudden-onset pain radiating from the shoulder to the upper arm. [en.wikipedia.org]

Neurological examination revealed right arm abduction weak (power 2/5) along with preserved deep tendon reflexes and normal rest of the muscles of upper limb. [elynsgroup.com]

Pain in the arm. Paraesthesia in the arm and hand (usually in C8 and T1 distribution). Atrophy of the hand. Weakness of the arm. [patient.info]

Cerebral Palsy

[…] child include: delays in reaching development milestones – for example, not sitting by eight months or not walking by 18 months seeming too stiff or too floppy (hypotonia) weak [web.archive.org]

Early symptoms include: Lack of coordination Stiff arms or legs Weak muscles Exaggerated reflexes Walking with a limp Walking on the toes Crouched gait Symptoms of cerebral [rileychildrens.org]

arms or legs fidgety, jerky or clumsy movements random, uncontrolled movements muscle spasms shaking hands (tremors) walking on tip-toes The severity of symptoms varies significantly [web.archive.org]

Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

For the PPMS cohort, a syndrome consistent with isolated myelopathy was found in 36% of patients (n=30) and arm weakness without leg weakness did not occur. [jamanetwork.com]

[…] or immobility on one side of your body, which may affect your legs, arms, or hands Exercise intolerance: The decreased ability to exercise Ataxia : Clumsiness and lack of [verywell.com]

These may include problems with thinking, balance, eyesight, weakness on one side of the body, strength, or using arms or legs. [finance.yahoo.com]

Subdural Hematoma

Symptoms include: Headache Weakness or numbness in arms, legs, or face Poor balance or coordination Change in behavior, emotions, or memory Drowsiness, lethargy, or coma Changes [sharecare.com]

[…] or numbness of arms, legs, face Exams and Tests Your health care provider will ask about your medical history. [pennstatehershey.adam.com]

On day 2 of admission, she developed left face, arm, and leg weakness, right gaze deviation, and left-sided neglect. Blood pressure at the time was 110/78 mm Hg. [ahajournals.org]