What would cause your left arm muscle to ache and feel cold and your hand and fingers to feel very tingly?

From our video partners

Asthma
How to prevent and treat an asthma attack.

Muscle aches and tingles

Here are several possible explanations from WikiAnswers users:

• Vascular

A pinched nerve does cause tingling in the fingers, but a presentation such as cold hands with an achy arm sounds like a vascular problem. This means that there is some reason for poor circulation to the arm/hand. This is very commonly caused by too much muscle tension in the scalene muscles or the the pec minor muscles. The blood vessels that supply the arm/hand have to pass through these areas, via the subclavian artery, to branch off into the arm. It could also be due to a misalignment of the shoulder. If a shoulder is misaligned in external rotation, it can put a stretch on the blood vessels that pass through that area to supply the arm/hand. In any case, a chiropractor is the professional to seek to correct any biomechanical problems within the body. Chiropractic adjustments can also have a valuable effect on the autonomic system, which affects the cardiovascular system.

• Pinched nerve

This could definitely be a pinched nerve - either in your neck, shoulder, or arm. You need to be seen by a doctor (preferable an orthopedic surgeon) before you experience permanent damage. Take care.

• Tendinitis
• Migraine
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Fibromyalgia
• Reynauds disease causes constriction of the blood vessels and usually your fingers get numb, turn whitish in color.
• Angina

I don't really have an answer because I have the same problem and have not gotten any real solution to it yet. Doctors I visit either tell me I have gastritis or angina. Now, I really want to know how long angina chest and arm pain lasts, since I have suffered with mine for about two years now with continuous chest burn and left arm-muscle ache, with or without physical activity and despite what food I eat.

• Repetative Strain Injury

Using a mouse or keyboard, or other tools, in the same position for an extended period of time can be harmful. Google ergonomics or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

• Cervical Disc Herniations:
  Cervial Disc Herniations can cause tingling, arm numbness and pain. It might be helpful to see a Neurosurgeon. They may run MRI's, Myelograms etc.. Some of the options are (if you do have cervical herniations) are 1. use of a TENS unit (provides electric stimulation to control pain) 2. Pain management(use of medications to control pain) 3. Physical therapy 4. Use of heating pads (if your pain is controllable) 5. Surgery (which may require plating and bone grafting after removal of the disc material)
  I would NOT recommend the use of a Chiropractor, as you may reinjure yourself. An Orthopoedic Surgeon is going to refer you to a Neurosurgeon. It may take several visits to come to a conclusion, and you may have to go through what I mentioned above first (TENS...etc...) before they will consider surgery. Sometimes it DOES take surgery, and even the Neorosurgeon may not have all of the answers until he goes in. I went undiagnosed for three years, it takes being your own advocate to make sure that you are listened to. Do not accept the first exam you get, always go for a second opinion (third if you need to!).
  Cervical Disc Hernication is difficult to live with and surgery is not going to answer all of your pain and tingling issues, but I find that in my case, the surgery was a huge relief...now my pain is manageable, and most of the tingling is gone. I might also add, that the surgery was a breeze, it was not hard at all. You have to wear a neck brace after, but it is not bad at all. I had a tough time getting the diagnoses, so don't give up!

First answer by anonymous. Last edit by Stagename. Contributor trust: 2 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 336 [recommend question]