Pain In Arm Days After Blood Test
Most of us would have got a blood test conducted for some reason or the other in our lives. Under normal circumstances, the placement of the needle into the vein results in a small amount of pain that ceases once the blood is drawn and the needle is removed. |
However, there are instances wherein people have experienced pain in the specific arm from where the blood has been drawn for a much longer period of time extending up to even a few days. This is certainly an abnormal situation and there could be several reasons for this pain.
One of the known reasons for this kind of lingering pain after a blood test is the occurrence of hematoma. This medical condition is characterized by the accumulation of blood outside the vein from where the blood is drawn. This condition usually results from temporary damage caused to the vein while the needle is pierced, resulting in the leakage of blood into the tissue. Thereafter, blood tends to accumulate at the site of leakage evident in the form of red or blue coloration of skin, inflammation in the surrounding tissues and pain in the area. However, this is not an alarming situation as generally hematomas dissolve in about a week’s duration. Over this period of time, the body is believed to reabsorb the leaked blood cells, thereby relieving the individual from the pain. For additional relief in the interim period, doctors may suggest the application of ice packs, raising the arm and intake of certain anti-inflammatory medications. Problems may get aggravated in circumstances wherein the hematoma develops infection. Administration of antibiotics may become mandatory in this case.
Another potential cause of persistent pain after blood test is a nerve injury. Nerves are spread throughout the human body. The phlebotomist should be skilled in his or her profession so that during the process of withdrawing blood from the vein, the adjacent nerves in the location are not disturbed. In case if the needle hits a nerve, temporary damage may be caused to the nerve resulting in pain, numbness and tingling sensation in the arm that could take weeks or even months to resolve. In very few cases, the damage could be permanent. Most cases of nerve damage are temporary and cause only a few weeks of discomfort. A small amount of discomfort, pain or even soreness is considered normal after a blood test, provided the symptoms cease after a day. If you have been experiencing these symptoms for more than the specified timeframe, it would be wise to consult a physician.
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Most people experiencing arm pain complain of the symptom increasing on any kind of movement related to the limb. Another common issue related to arm pain is stiffness in the muscles. These are regarded as the usual symptoms correlated to arm pain. However, in certain severe cases, there could be additional symptoms like redness, inflammation, tenderness, profuse sweating, breathing problems, giddiness, and pain in the jaw and chest as well.