Condition	Characteristics
Cardiac pain	Radiating upper extremity pain, particularly in the left shoulder and arm, that has possible cardiac origin
Cervical spondylotic myelopathy	Changes in gait, frequent falls, bowel or bladder dysfunction, difficulty using the hands, stiffness of the extremities, sexual dysfunction accompanied by upper motor neuron findings
Complex regional pain syndrome (reflex sympathetic dystrophy)	Pain and tenderness of the extremity, often out of proportion with examination findings, accompanied by skin changes, vasomotor fluctuations, or dysthermia; symptoms often occur after a precipitating event
Entrapment syndromes	For example, carpal tunnel syndrome (median nerve) and cubital tunnel syndrome (ulnar nerve)
Herpes zoster (shingles)	Acute inflammation of dorsal root ganglion creates a painful, dermatomal radiculopathy
Intra- and extraspinal tumors	Schwannomas, osteochondromas, Pancoast tumors, thyroid or esophageal tumors, lymphomas, carcinomatous meningitis
Parsonage-Turner syndrome (neuralgic amyotrophy)	Acute onset of proximal upper extremity pain, usually followed by weakness and sensory disturbances; typically involves upper brachial plexus
Postmedian sternotomy lesion	Occurs after cardiac surgery; C8 radiculopathy may develop secondary to an occult fracture of the first thoracic rib
Rotator cuff pathology	Shoulder and lateral arm pain
Thoracic outlet syndrome	Median and ulnar nerve (lower brachial plexus nerve roots, C8 and T1) dysfunction from compression by vascular or neurogenic causes, often a tight band of tissue extending from first thoracic rib to C7 transverse process