LE flare, cording, or something else????

Straitlover

Starting off, I will say I am planning on going to the doc, but I wanted some opinions, too.

After my BMX, I had a little issue w/ mild LE; went to PT, wore a sleeve for a little while, then everything was fine. Note that during that time, I had no trouble w/ pain, just swelling and tingly nerve stuff (still have the tingly nerve stuff, BS says it may eventually go away or may be permanent). A couple of weeks ago, I developed swelling in the top of my forearm right past my wrist, swelling was circular-ish and around 1.5-2 inches in diameter. It hurt just to barely touch it, no redness, not hot or anything. When I reached for something out or over my head, it hurt worse, w/ the pain running from between my index and middle finger knuckles in a straight line down to my tricep muscle. I was crazy busy at work so had no time for a dr appt, and I thought I remembered hitting my arm a couple of days before, so I decided to wait and see what happened. It's been a couple of weeks. It's not as swollen, but it's still swollen some. Pain's not as bad, but it still hurts to press on it and when I stretch my arm. It also hurts if I do a twisting motion, down that straight line from knuckle to wrist. It kinda feels like a small knot where it's swollen, but I can't say for sure because it hurts if I press it too hard. I did do some Self MLD but I have not tried to wear my sleeve because I knew it would hurt like a mother!

Anyway, does it sound like a LE flare? Can you even have LE swelling in just one small spot like that? Since it's running in a line, could it be cording? I have no pain or ropey looking stuff in the arm pit. I guess I kinda wanted to get an idea of what it might be so I go to the correct doc or if I should just go back to the LE therapist. Don't want to go to the therapist if it's not LE or cording as that would be a waste of a co-pay.

Or should i just suck it up and go to my not so lovely PCP?

Binney4

Straitlover, I'm sorry you're dealing with this--bummer! Though lymphedema can present as swelling in only a small or restricted area, the rest of your symptoms don't sound a lot like a lymphedema flare. Or maybe not JUST a lymphedema flare. Might you have done some muscle or tendon damage with that hit you kind of remember? (Boy, do I know what you mean by that--I get busy and bang some part of me and the next day when it's black and blue I can vaguely remember hurting it but can't recall how/where. Sigh!) Some pain and some skin sensitivity can also accompany lymphedema, but rarely with the severity you're describing.

As for cording, that's conceivable, and the "cord" is not always visible or able to be felt. Definitely have this checked out. Any chance you could find a lovelier PCP? It is SO HARD to change, but I changed mine recently and--wow! what a relief to have someone I trust and don't mind seeing!

Please let us know what you discover.

Gentle hugs,
Binney

SusanSnowFlake

I don't know if this will be helpful in figuring out what you're feeling but It might help in ruling out cording....I have cording that I can't see. It feels like the muscle is to short for my reach when I'm reaching. I feel pain related to the pulling sensation that is hard to describe but more like an ache than a stabbing pain, or another description when I reach to far it hurts but later it feels like the pain you feel after a bad muscle cramp. The pain radiates from the muscle not around it and follows a line. I have not seen any color changes or swelling due to my cording. In my case the cording is about the size of yarn.

Straitlover

Thanks for the answers. If the PCP doesn't know what it is (I do plan on changing when I get a good recommendation form someone), then I'll check w/ the LE therapist.

Tomboy

It almost even sounds like a hairline fracture.

Straitlover

Tomboy, I was thinking that myself. I know when I was at the beach I remember hitting somethign and saying OW, but for the life of me I can't remember what I hit, LOL. That darn menopause brain! I did have a DEXA bone densitu scan last week that shows I ahve osteopenia, so it may be a possibility.