How do I know if I injured my arm?

A sudden injury to your arm, particularly if you hear a snap or cracking sound. Severe pain and swelling in your arm. Trouble moving your arm normally or turning your arm from palm up to palm down and vice versa.

Why can’t I lift my arm after falling?

Rotator cuff tears can occur if you fall and land on your shoulder or if you lift heavy objects too quickly. Tears can also develop over time as the tendons in your rotator cuff degenerate.

What can you hurt in your arm?

Possible causes of arm pain include:

• Pinched nerves. Pinched nerves happen when a nerve has too much pressure on it due to surrounding:
• Sprains. Sprains are stretching or tearing of the ligaments or tendons.
• Tendonitis.
• Rotator cuff injury.
• Broken bones.
• Rheumatoid arthritis.
• Angina.
• Heart attack.

How long does a sprained arm take to heal?

A sprain is when ligaments (bands of tissue that hold bone to bone at the joints) stretch too far or tear. A sprain may can take 4–6 weeks to heal or sometimes longer.

How do you treat a fall on your arm?

Rest and protect an injured or sore area. Stop, change, or take a break from any activity that may be causing your pain or soreness. Ice will reduce pain and swelling. Apply ice or cold packs immediately to prevent or minimize swelling.

How can I tell if I tore my rotator cuff?

The most common symptoms of a rotator cuff tear include:

1. Pain at rest and at night, particularly if lying on the affected shoulder.
2. Pain when lifting and lowering your arm or with specific movements.
3. Weakness when lifting or rotating your arm.
4. Crepitus or crackling sensation when moving your shoulder in certain positions.

How do you know if you tore something in your shoulder?

Symptoms include pain, a decrease in range of motion, and instability, which can feel like your shoulder may shift out of place. You may not notice a very small tear, whereas a complete tear can cause persistent, aching pain accompanied by weakness or even paralysis in the affected arm.

How do you tell if arm is broken or just bruised?

Signs of a broken bone include:

1. Pain located directly on top of the bone – where there is no soft tissue.
2. Pain becomes worse when you apply pressure or move the injured limb.
3. Severe swelling, or bruising over the top of the bone, numbness or tingling.
4. A “cracking” (not “popping”) sound at the time of the injury.

How do you tell if arm is broken or sprained?

Symptoms

1. Severe pain, which might increase with movement.
2. Swelling.
3. Bruising.
4. Deformity, such as a bent arm or wrist.
5. Inability to turn your arm from palm up to palm down or vice versa.

How do you know if a sprain is serious?

People with a more severe ankle sprain — characterized by extreme bruising or swelling and an inability to bear weight on the foot without significant pain, or when there doesn’t seem to be any improvement over the first several days after the injury — should seek medical attention, Drs.

Can you move your arm if it’s fractured?

It is important that you not try to use the broken arm. Moving a broken arm would also cause more damage to blood vessels, nerves and other tissues. To keep the broken area from moving, make a temporary splint, by taping a ruler or other supportive device to the arm.