Arm problems?

[Hazer]

Um...think may be a stupid question, but does anyone know if anything lampwork related could make an arm swell? I can't think of any other explanation for it happening.

(I know I should go to the doctors, but it's Sunday tomorrow so I can't)

[theflyingbedstead]

Perhaps the heat...or an allergy to something? I haven't encountered any such issues that were glass related, but at this time of year there are so many things growing in the garden that I'm allergic to. And then there are midges...

I hope that you get to the bottom of it - and PLEASE do go see your GP just to be on the safe side!

[Margram]

You could get some advice on nhs direct:http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/
Hope it clears up soon.

[elburnzo]

i dont suppose you could have gotten some glass in it? when i got some glass embedded in my hand it got all swollen, went down after a day or two but i still had to  go get it  xrayed and all sorts in fact the glass is still in there lol. it jags me every so often.

Id give the NHS helpline thingy a call n see if they can help, maybe take some ibuprofen?

Def need to see a doctor though,

hope it gets better soon xxx

[princess pink]

Where abouts is it swollen? Is it the whole arm? Any redness? Soreness? Raised areas? Bumps? Bruising? Rash?

How long has it been that way for? Anything relieve it or exacerbate it?

Any other medical illnesses? Are your under arms tender or feel lumpy?

Sorry for the huge number of questions in response-am a medical student.

Sounds unlikely to be lampworking but if you can pm me the answers to those questions I may be able to help. X

[Hazer]

Thanks for the help, I'll have a look at the NHS site: haven't seen that before. It sounds odd, but it's just swollen, for no apparent reason. No visible bite marks, scratches or glass cuts/burns 

Shahlaa - you sound like you're going to be excellent in medicine, very thorough questions, thank you To answer them, it's the forearm which is affected, and it 's been slightly swollen for a week (I noticed it because my skin suddenly randomly felt like it was terribly sunburnt - even though it's not, I might add) , but since yesterday it's worse. I tried icing it last night, but that left a bright red, even more swollen pattern of the ice box on my skin, which is only just disappearing tonight. No other illnesses, and it only twinges occassionally and feels stiff, unless I pick up something which can hurt.

My arm is weird 

[princess pink]

Is it tender to touch? And if it is, is it superficial skin tenderness or more like a muscle tenderness?

Two scores of thought-possible muscle injury/repetitive strain injury. Can give swelling and twinges, hurting more when you lift stuff. If it's swollen the skin will tighten and your arm might feel tingly/sore like sunburn

Other possiblity if skin is sore is that it's a superficial allergic reaction to either dust particles on your bench eg from dried bead release etc or something else that you've had an allergic contact with

take an antihistamine such as piriton or cetirizine/zirtek or clarityn and see if that relieves it. If that fails try 2 ibuprofen (providing you have no contraindications to taking it) and see if that helps. If neither of those help, gp on Monday. Xx

[Hazer]

Thank you Shahlaa, I'll give those suggestions a go. I'd rather not go to the gp because I feel like it's only a swollen arm, but I might have to just go

[GoodMonkey]

((((hugs))))  hope you are feeling better soon xxx

[Hazer]

((((hugs))))  hope you are feeling better soon xxx

Thank you :*

Saw gp today - it's probably repetitive strain, possibly from gripping mandrels too tightly. I was so afraid that it would be something that meant I'd never be able to lampwork again, but she said five days of Ibruprofen (could have just stuck with your diagnosis Shahlaa )and I can start again, yay!

[GoodMonkey]

YAY indeed and try to enjoy a good rest - a good excuse to do nothing if you can get away with it