6. Heart Attack
A heart attack, or a myocardial infarction, results when a blood clot interrupts blood flow to the heart. The sudden attack is typically characterized by shooting pains up the left arm, an early warning sign that should prompt a 9-1-1 call immediately and possibly save a life.
![Heart attack]()
7. Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis, chronic inflammatory disease, often causes the inflammation of the elbow joint, which compresses the nerves of the arm, leading to pain, numbness, and tingling in the shoulder, forearm, wrist, and fingers.
![Rheumatoid arthritis]()
8. Herniated Disk
A herniated disk inflicts the rubbery spinal disks, which act as cushions between the individual bones in the spine. However, if a disk slips or ruptures, the surrounding vertebrae and nerves will be no longer protected, and pain, numbness, or inflammation will result in the nearby arm.
![Herniated disk]()
9. Tendinitis
Tendinitis is a repetitive stress injury that commonly affects the shoulder, wrist, or elbow due to a sports injury (i.e., golf or baseball). It occurs with the inflammation of a tendon, which connect muscle to bone and protect the attaching joint.
![Tendinitis]()
10. Sprain
A sprain occurs when a stretchy ligament is past its capacity and tearing occurs. A sprain is different from a strain, the stretching or tearing of muscle or tendon. Both sprains and strains are common sources of arm, shoulder, and wrist pain.
![Sprains and strains]()
Emily Lockhart
Emily Lockhart is a certified yoga instructor and personal trainer. She believes that being healthy is a lifestyle choice, not a punishment or temporary fix to attain a desired fitness or body image goal. Anna helps her clients take responsibility for their own health and wellness through her classes and articles on ActiveBeat.