Forearm Pain After Shoulder Surgery? – Causes and Recovery

You’ve landed on this article which means the chances are that you’re experiencing forearm pain after shoulder surgery. So, my first suggestion for you is to stay calm, relax, and breathe. It probably is nothing to worry about.

Very rarely (and I can’t stress “rarely” enough), this pain could mean complex region pain syndrome (CRPM), or it could also mean deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the upper extremity due to complications in shoulder arthroscopy.

I’ll go on to explain all of this in detail soon. But before that, let us quickly get an to understanding everything that you can expect after rotator cuff repair so that you know if anything you’re experiencing should be something to worry about or not.

What to Expect After Rotator Cuff Surgery Apart from Shoulder Pain?

There is a lot that can go on for about 6 months after arthroscopic shoulder surgery. And all of it is quite common – the pain, the soreness, and a little bit of a fever.

To precisely break it down for you, I have listed a few things that are fairly common after undergoing shoulder arthroscopy.

1. Dizziness & Tiredness

So, immediately after the surgical procedure on your shoulder, it is quite normal to feel dizziness, tiredness, and maybe a little nauseousness. Don’t worry! This is typically from the anesthesia.

2. Swelling & Pain

Take pain medicine or painkillers you were given by your doctor (get the nerve block or interscalene block) and ice packs as one thing is certain – there will be some swelling and painful joints, especially right after waking up. You only need to worry if the swelling and pain are excessive and spreading across your neck and face as well.

3. Difficulty Sleeping

If you know anyone who has gone through shoulder surgery, they’ll tell you about the countless nights they just struggled sleeping. My suggestion – get a recliner or a wedge pillow. But expect that it will take some time to get proper sleep after this procedure.

Apart from these, you might experience a sore throat due to the breathing tube used during surgery.

What are the Causes of Forearm Pain After Shoulder Joint Surgery?

Now, most people won’t experience forearm pain after rotator cuff surgery. But some definitely do. The reasons can be many, including holding your arm in a certain position for too long. But sometimes, there are serious but very rare complications to shoulder arthroscopy that can also cause forearm pain.

Sometimes, surgeries to fix rotator cuff tears (or torn rotator cuff tendons) may cause swelling and pain in the upper arm. But that’s a whole other thing and should not cause forearm pains. A rotator cuff repair should only cause pain around the shoulder area.

Here are the causes for serious conditions that cause forearm pain after this surgery:

1. DVT (Blood Clot) in Upper Extremities

As we explained above, DVT affects the blood vessels after surgery. So, if it irritates the nerves in the elbow or arm area you will have pain and swelling. This might include swelling and tenderness extending to the forearm or proximal forearm levels.

2. Cervical Disc Injury or Aggravation

Sometimes, during the surgical procedure, the position of the patient (you) might aggravate a nerve coming from your neck . This can lead to the issues in a cervical disc. This can cause the pain to radiate throughout the arm and forearm (cervical radiculopathy).

3. Stiffness of the Shoulder

Pain can radiate through your arm and forearm as well when you’re experiencing stiffness of the shoulder after surgery. Stiffness is quite common, but sometimes it can lead to complications too.

So, if you’re experiencing serious and unbearable forearm pain with swelling, in rare cases, any of the above can be the reason.

Things to Do When Experiencing Forearm Pain

Now, gauging your symptoms might not be enough to know for sure if it is time to visit the doctor for forearm pain or not. However, there are a few things you can try before you make that appointment.

So, if you just had an arthroscopic procedure done and are experiencing pain shooting down your arm, try the following remedies. If these don’t work, then go speak with your surgical team.

• Reach for your ice pack – Just keep treating your swelling and pain in the affected shoulder with ice packs, and you should feel better after some time. The ice pack should show a visible reduction in swelling across the arm.
  
• Take prescribed pain killers – Your doctor might have suggested some pain relievers for when you struggle with extreme pain. If these pain relievers fail to alleviate your arm pain, it might be the time to seek medical help.
  
• A physical therapist should also help – If the forearm pain constantly comes and goes, you should do suggested physical therapy exercises to help alleviate pain by easing a range of motion in your body. You should call your doctor if this doesn’t help.
  
• Try and get some sleep – If you’re not sleeping properly, the pain is sure to aggravate. If you’re experiencing arm pain, just try to sleep in a proper position with maximum support.

Remember, most forearm pains after your shoulder surgery procedure don’t mean any serious complications and should resolve following the aforementioned remedies.

Recovery from Forearm Pain Post Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery

Unfortunately, if you have been diagnosed with a complication due to surgery that caused the forearm pain, you’ll have to undergo other medications and procedures. Fortunately, though, doctors can help you recover from the pain and discomfort.

You can expect the following steps from the doctor to help you recover from complicated forearm pain post arthroscopic surgery.

1. Recovering from Shoulder Stiffness

This is something you can recover from. Forearm pains caused due to stiffness in the shoulder can be treated with physical therapy and medications. The medicines include acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin, or prednisone, as per the prescription by your doctor. Do take physical therapy for long-term wellness.

2. Complex Region Pain Syndrome (CRPM) Recovery

CRPM recovery includes several treatments at once. These include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), hand therapy or surgery, acupuncture, and stellate ganglion block.

3. Recovery from DVT (Blood Clot)

This treatment, of course, includes anticoagulants like rivaroxaban. To recover from DVT, you might also get enoxaparin injections and warfarin. If you are at high risk, you may be given these meds after surgery to prevent a DVT.

4. Cervical Disc Injury or Aggravation Recovery

You’d be delighted and relieved to know that cervical disc injury can be treated without surgical procedures. Epidural injections may provide pain relief. And physical therapy, massages, and hot or cold therapy will help you recover. Some times it just takes time

All in all, there is nothing to worry about forearm pains if you’ve talked to your doctor and taken their advice.

Final Thoughts

It is quite common to face pain and discomfort after rotator cuff surgery. When the doctors repairs your rotator cuff during the shoulder surgery, several things can go wrong. But relax! Such rotator cuff complications are quite rare.

If you’ve had surgery to cure a rotator cuff tear, rotator cuff injury, or a torn rotator cuff and feel severe discomfort owing to forearm pain post arthroscopic shoulder surgery, it might be the time to speak with your doctor again.

But don’t worry; your doctor and physical therapist will be able to help you. You can treat the affected arm with a cold pack, pain medication, or other procedures as suggested by the doctor to be completely healed.