Swelling of the forearm | Forearm

Swelling of the forearm

A swelling, also called edema, is an accumulation of fluid in the tissue. The swelling is easy to see from the outside because the arm is thicker, so that otherwise matching jewelry or watches would fit very tightly or even be too small. If the skin is pressed in, dents appear.

The skin in the area of the swelling is very tense, so that the wrist and/or elbow joint can no longer be moved properly and a feeling of tension up to pain at the swelling can occur. Edema can be easily diagnosed by these symptoms. The cause of forearm swelling can be quite different.

• It is possible that a harmless accumulation of water that goes away by itself has caused the swelling, for example during pregnancy or if you have not moved your arm for a long time.
• In addition, some medications cause edema as a side effect or the swelling can occur as a result of an allergic reaction.
• In addition, edema can occur as an accompanying symptom of a serious illness. An example of this is cardiac insufficiency (heart failure). The heart does not manage to pump the blood through the body strongly enough, so that it accumulates in the vessels in front of the heart and the veins are subjected to increased pressure. This causes fluid to move from the veins to the tissues, causing water to accumulate in the arm and leg.
• Lymphatic system damage can also cause oedema in the forearms.

Muscle pain in the forearm

Muscle pain in the forearm can have a variety of causes, but most often it is due to overuse or incorrect use. A cramped arm posture, for example due to long computer work or the sudden intensive sports program, is often responsible for sore muscles in the forearm and thus for pain there. If the pain occurs in relation to such activities, there is no need to worry, but the arm should be spared until the situation improves. Furthermore, muscle pain is also a common symptom accompanying flu. If the muscle pain is chronic, a doctor should be consulted, as in such a case it could also be inflammation of the muscles or soft tissue rheumatism.