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Real members of myRAteam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.

How does RA cause nerve damage? I’ve had left shoulder pain that radiates down arm to elbow effecting muscles since February? So painful

A myRAteam Member asked a question 💭
College Place, WA
July 3
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A myRAteam Member

RA itself usually does not damage nerves directly, but ongoing inflammation can put pressure on nearby nerves or affect the tissues around them. Shoulder pain that radiates down the arm can also be caused by tendon inflammation, a pinched nerve in the neck, or other joint problems. Since you've had this pain since February and it's so severe, it's important to have it evaluated by a rheumatologist or orthopedic specialist.

July 4
A myRAteam Member

I see several others suffer from the same shoulder/muscle pain- why isn’t the meds controlling it? Been on 3 bouts of prednisone- nothing, then put on Meloxicam- nothing, currently on 2 DMARDS- no relief
So discouraged

July 4
myRAteam

That radiating pain from the shoulder down to the elbow sounds really exhausting, especially when it's been going on since February. RA can cause nerve damage in a few different ways, and what's being experienced could be related to one or more of these.

Here's how RA can lead to nerve issues:

- Nerve entrapment — When Show Full Answer

That radiating pain from the shoulder down to the elbow sounds really exhausting, especially when it's been going on since February. RA can cause nerve damage in a few different ways, and what's being experienced could be related to one or more of these.

Here's how RA can lead to nerve issues:

- Nerve entrapment — When joints become swollen and inflamed, the surrounding tissue can press on nearby nerves, compressing them and disrupting normal nerve signals
- Anti-CCP antibodies — Many people with RA carry these immune proteins, which are linked to more severe nerve-related symptoms
- Inflammation spreading — RA inflammation can affect the cervical spine (neck), which may cause pain, weakness, or electrical sensations that radiate down the arm
- Medication side effects — Some RA medications have been associated with nerve-related symptoms in rare cases The radiating pain down the arm affecting muscles could be a sign of radiculopathy — where pressure on a spinal nerve causes pain, weakness, or numbness through the arm.

It's really important to bring this up with a rheumatologist as soon as possible, since nerve-related symptoms that persist can worsen if left untreated. An MRI or nerve assessment may help pinpoint exactly what's going on.

July 3

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