How long does forearm pain last

When tendons get irritated or injured, they become inflamed. That causes tendonitis. The most common symptom of forearm tendonitis is inflammation. This feels and looks like pain, redness, and swelling in the forearm.

Forearm tendonitis may cause symptoms in or around your elbow, wrist, and hand. Your doctor will ask questions about your symptoms, like when and how they started and what activities improve or worsen your symptoms. If your doctor suspects tendonitis, they may use diagnostic imaging tests to confirm the diagnosis. Tests may include an X-ray or MRI. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

RICE therapy can slow blood flow to the site of the injury. That helps reduce inflammation and promote recovery. The forearm is involved in many different motions. It can be tricky to stop using the forearm tendons entirely. Consider restricting the movement of the full forearm, elbow, or wrist to help rest the area. You can use:. Gently apply an ice pack wrapped in a cloth or towel to the forearm for 10 minutes, followed by a minute break, several times throughout the day.

Icing is especially effective after the forearm has been heavily used or inactive, like before bed and first thing in the morning. Many different sleeves and wraps are designed to compress either the full forearm or segments of it. Depending on the severity of symptoms, compression devices can either be worn for a few hours or left on for several days to weeks, except to bathe or sleep.

Here are three. Tennis Ball Squeeze: Squeeze a tennis ball in your hand. Hold for several seconds and release. Start with a few reps and increase the number as pain allows. If you feel pain, back off. Arm Rotations: Hold your arm straight out in front of you parallel to the floor and palm up.

Make a fist. Add reps as the pain allows. As you get stronger, add weight to your fist by holding a light dumbbell, then a hammer and eventually a tennis racket. Wrist Extension and Flexion Extension: With your arm straight out in front of you parallel to the floor and your palm down, bend your wrist downward.

Hold for several seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat. Flexion: With your arm straight out in front of you parallel to the floor and your palm up, lift your wrist upward. You can also add a light dumbbell or even a can of beans to these exercises as you get stronger. A physical exam will be done. It will focus on the forearm. This is often enough to make the diagnosis. How long it takes to heal depends on the injury.

The goal of treatment is to promote healing. Options are:. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Muscle strain pulled muscle. Johns Hopkins Medicine website. Accessed July 30, Pain prevalence in instrumental musicians: a systematic review. Med Probl Perform Art. Sprains, strains, and tears. American College of Sports Medicine website. Published Other possible symptoms associated with forearm pain include:.

Pain in the forearm can be referred pain. This means that the injury is to another place, but the forearm hurts. Although there are many underlying causes of forearm pain, most can be treated either at home or through medical care. Forearm pain can result from a number of causes. These range from degenerative conditions to injuries to underlying medical conditions that damage nerves, bones, or joints:.

Learn more: Tips for treating diabetic nerve pain ». You may be able to pinpoint the exact underlying cause of your forearm pain. Other times, you may not be sure how the symptoms occurred. Your doctor can help you identify if there is any underlying damage to the bones, joints, or nerves, or if another condition could be causing your symptoms.

You should seek immediate medical attention if you have a visible bone fracture or hear distinctive popping, clicking, or crunching related to a forearm injury.

Shop arm splints. Keep reading: First aid for broken bones and fractures ». Sometimes doctors may recommend stretching and strengthening exercises to reduce forearm pain.