Why do my arms hurt when I sneeze? Does sneezing showcase some underlying health issues, or is it nothing to worry about? The content deals with everything you need to know about the pain when sneezing.
Sneezing, medically known as sternutation, is a healthy mechanism of our body to clear the nose and fight infections in the respiratory system or brain.
It lasts merely for a second and doesn’t disturb the activities a person is performing. Usually, sneezing causes no pain, but sometimes arms hurt after sneezing.
Arm hurting when sneezing could be dangerous and result in severe calamities, including death. You can see a physician near instead of contemplating the cause and acting according to his instructions.
Are you worried about this situation?
Don’t worry! Here we have all the details on why does it hurts to sneeze and what you should do about it.
Let’s start:
Why Do My Arms Hurt When I Sneeze?
Here are some causes of arm pain when sneezing:
1. Injury or Fracture:
If you have recently been through an accident and experienced a wound or injury near your shoulders, sneezing might hurt.
People often ask why do my arms hurt when I sneeze after the injury. Injuries in the spine, shoulder, or neck bone can cause pain when you sneeze.
Why? Because during sneezing, pressure comes on the entire body for a second. A healthy person doesn’t feel this strain, but it causes pain at the place of the wound.
2. Compressed Nerves:
During exercise or any activities, if you put excessive pressure on a specific area of your body, it can lead to an issue called compressed nerves or pinched nerves.
How do you find if your nerves are compressed? Pain, tingling, or numbness in that area can be symptoms of compressed nerves.
But do you know it can be one of the causes of arms hurt after sneezing? Yes! When you sneeze, pressure is imposed on those already compressed nerves, leading to arm pain.
It doesn’t just appear around the shoulder, arms, or neck but can be felt anywhere in the body.
3. Spine Bone Dislocation:
Another reason behind your question about why do my arms hurt when I sneeze can be dislocation of the spine or bone. Our spine is made of the vertebra, a series of bones.
All these bones are stacked upon one another. However, sometimes, as a result of an injury, a condition can occur called a dislocated vertebra medically or Spine Bone Dislocation in simple words.
One of the bones in the stack gets dislocated, so the pressure can cause pain in either one arm or both arms every time you sneeze.
You might also experience back aches along with arm pain after sneezing in case of a dislocated vertebra.
4. Spine Disc Displacement:
Another cause, that’s also associated with your spine can be added to understand your question why do my arms hurt when I sneeze.
Medically, this problem is called Herniated Discs. What happens during this issue? Our bone joints have gel-like discs placed inside to bear shock or prevent bone friction but they can get damaged.
When these small gel-like discs are damaged or displaced, a small pressure can lead to extreme pain. Sneezing is a kind of pressure that can lead to pain in the body.
The disc displacement pain can be experienced near elbows, knees, back, shoulders, or entire arms.
5. Muscle Twitching:
During exercises or by picking hard and hefty objects, muscles can be strained or twitched. You may experience pain in your arms, legs, or shoulders as a result of muscle strain.
Falling can also be one of the reasons for muscle injury. So, every time you sneeze, you can experience pain at the place where your muscle is twitched.
Related ➔ Lip Twitching Stroke, Causes, and Treatments.
When people ask chiropractors or physiotherapists why do my arms hurt when I sneeze; they examine them for muscle strain.
6. Bone-Thinning Disorders:
Weak bones can also be one of the reasons for pain when sneezing. When bones are weak or thin, a small pressure on them can cause fractures.
The condition is medically known as vertebral compression fracture or VCF. When this condition becomes severe, even a sneeze can cause bone fracture (due to the pressure).
Medications and rest are recommended for people with conditions like vertebral compression fracture.
7. Flu:
One more cause of pain when sneezing is the flu. When you have influenza, the condition can lead to severe body pain and chills.
For your query, why do my arms hurt when I sneeze, well, sneezes are also associated directly with the flu.
It is because fluid stacks up in the nose and requires clearance so you might experience sneezing more than often.
So, feeling pain after sneezing is common during flu. However, it is not a reason to worry because the pain will go away as quickly as you will be recovered from the flu.
8. Fever:
Why do my arms hurt when I sneeze? Fever can be a leading cause behind this. Fevers, common cold, or viral infections can cause body aches.
It might also make you feel tired and fatigued. You might think that you are low on energy and that’s why you are feeling pain but the cause of the pain can be viruses.
During this condition, normal body operations like sneezing or coughing can make you experience pain behind your neck, in the throat, on the arms, shoulders, or back.
Arms Hurt After Sneezing – Drawbacks
If your arms hurt after sneezing, you are advised to see a doctor and limit your activities because it can lead to issues like:
1. Car Accidents:
Car crashes are more common in the United States and many cases have been associated with arm pain after sneezing.
Many times, the arm pain after sneezing stays merely for seconds. However, in extreme cases, it can last for minutes, creating a hindrance to daily task such as driving.
You must have an idea of why do my arms hurt when I sneeze before getting started with driving.
If you know that your arm pain can last several minutes after sneezing, make sure to avoid driving.
2. Loss of Control:
Another problem you can face when feeling arm pain after sneezing is the loss of control. What is loss of control?
Many times, the pain when sneezing can cause an interruption in the use of the body and body control. A person can feel helpless to do simple things after sneezing.
You might feel a loss of control when using computers, mobiles, elevators, or driving due to arms hurt after sneezing.
To cater to this, you must have a proper idea of why do my arms hurt when I sneeze and take appropriate treatments in this regard.
3. Death (in severe cases):
Many cases in the United States of America have been reported of car accidents and deaths due to arm pain after sneezing.
How does it happen?
When arms hurt after you sneeze and the pain lasts for several minutes, along with the question occurring in your mind, why do my arms hurt when I sneeze, you also feel a loss of control?
Being unable to use the steering to control the car can cause accidents and, in the worst cases, deaths of the driver or others on the road.
So, if your pain in the arm after sneezing is getting worst, take proper measures about this.
Arm Pain After Sneezing – What to Do?
Now you have a proper answer to your concern about why do my arms hurt when I sneeze, however, the discussion doesn’t end here.
Here are some precautionary steps you can take to cater to the sneezing pain.
1. Identify the Cause of the Problem:
As there are several causes, so you should be aware of the root cause of why do your arms hurt after sneezing. You should see a doctor (chiropractor or physiologist) and find out the causes.
They will suggest x-rays, like MRIs to find out cause the behind the problem. Do not take any medicine or pain killer without knowing the main cause behind your issue.
2. Chiropractic and Physio Treatments:
Once the main cause is found, it is time to start the treatments. Based on the nature and severity of arm pain after sneezing, the experts will suggest the type of treatment.
These can be related to physiotherapies, chiropractic, or a combination of both. They will try to treat and remove the pressure on nerves caused by sneezing.
3. Exercises:
In case the root causes behind why do your arms hurt when you sneeze are related to inflammation or strain, you will be suggested some easy to perform exercises.
These exercises can come along with other treatments or can be asked to perform alone.
Some common things you can do to get rid of the arm pain after sneezing are immediately:
4. Change Your Position:
Before you sneeze, try to stand up as straight as possible. Do not sit or slouch when you sneeze as it can put pressure on your shoulders and cause pain.
5. Lean Forward With Arms on the Table:
Reducing the pressure on the spine and back muscles can also help you in this regard. What you have to do is, stand and lean forward with your hands pressed against a table or any hard surface.
It will mainly reduce the sneeze pain in your back and shoulder.
6. Wall Stand:
Stand with your back against the wall and a cushion on your lower back. Do this when you feel the sneeze is coming. It will reduce the pressure on nerves.
Arm Pain After Sneezing – Precautions
You have a good idea on why do my arms hurt when I sneeze. Now, here are some precautions to take:
7. Never Hold a Sneeze:
Many times, to control the pain, people try to hold the sneeze. This is wrong. Holding a sneeze can cause other various problems.
8. Let Sneeze Happen Naturally:
Along with this, do not change the way of sneezing through the nose. Many times, people try to sneeze from their mouths to lessen the pressure. It is also a wrong practice.
9. Avoid Driving:
While you are taking treatments on your condition, your arms hurt after a sneeze, meanwhile, avoid driving to keep from accidents and mishaps.
Bottom Line
We hope now you have a good idea about why do my arms hurt when I sneeze. We have discussed 8 prominent causes of arm pain after sneezing along with 9 ways to treat the pain after sneezing.
If you still have some queries in your mind, keep in touch with us for free.