What is nerve inflammation of the arm?
Arm nerve inflammation is an inflammatory change in one or more nerves in the arm (so-called mono- or polyneuritis). Depending on the severity and localization, this can lead to severe pain that can extend over the entire arm. The inflammation of nerves in the arm often occurs in the context of pain (so-called brachialgia), which is caused by an irritation of the nerve plexus in the arm. Depending on the cause, the therapy is often mainly in the form of painkillers and physiotherapy.
The causes
An inflammation of nerves in the arm can have different causes. Often the cause is not clear and is rather an interaction of different factors that lead to an inflammatory reaction. Inflammation of one or more nerves in the arm and the associated pain can be caused, for example, by an infection caused by various bacteria such as clostridia, mycoplasma or corynebacteria.
Drugs or toxic substances can also lead to an inflammation of the nerves. Another possibility is autoimmunological diseases in which the body produces antibodies that attack the myelin sheath. A myelin sheath envelops, protects and isolates the nerve.
If this sheath is destroyed in an autoimmune process, the nerve is damaged. This leads to nerve conduction disorders and also to pain. An accident with an injury to the arm can also be a possible cause, since the damage can cause a long-term inflammatory reaction.
A mastectomy, i.e. surgical removal of the breast, for example after breast cancer, can also cause inflammation and damage to the nerves in the arm area. If a nerve in the arm becomes inflamed, a structural change in the nerve tissue occurs. In most cases, the focus is on demyelination, i.e. the destruction of the myelin sheath, which acts as a sheath to protect the nerve and the transmission of nerve signals. This can be caused, for example, by a strong mechanical pull, if the nerve is located too close to other structures, such as muscle tendons or bones.
