Arm pain is any discomfort, soreness, or weakness felt in the upper arm, lower arm, shoulder to arm area, or even pain that travels from the neck down the arm. Some people describe arm pain as a dull ache, while others feel sharp pain, burning, stiffness in the arm, or aching tingling arms. Arm pain can show up suddenly after an injury, or it can develop slowly as long-term arm pain that affects daily movement and strength.

Many cases of arm pain are linked to shoulder and arm pain or neck shoulder arm pain, especially when nerves, muscles, or joints are involved. Pain may stay in one spot, such as upper arm pain, or it may spread, causing radiating arm pain, pain down the arm, or pain from shoulder radiating down arm. When nerves are affected, people often report arm numbness, arm pain weakness, or nerve discomfort in arm that worsens with movement.

Arm pain is not always caused by a problem in the arm itself. Neck pain with arm pain is common, especially when nerve compression in the neck sends pain signals down the arm. This is why many patients experience neck shoulder and arm pain or pain radiating from neck to arm rather than isolated pain at arm level.