Ants in arm

[phantumx]

Hey all,

I am having this problem recently: I have seen good improvements on the muscle hypertrophy but I feel ants in my left forearm a few times a day. I know I never stretch after my workouts, could this be a possibility or I might have screwed up something in tendons/ligaments? thanks.

[FunkDaddy]

Please expand a bit on these "ants" you feel. Is it like a pin prick sensation in multiple areas of your body? Or does it really feel like ants are crawling on your body? If the latter, no joke bro you might have fleas.

[buffmanjohnson]

by ants do u mean pins and needles? if so, then u could have aggravated a nerve. no big deal as long as it doesnt persist.

[BIG GUNNS]

Possible tendonitius which when I used to get it aggravated my arm down to my wrist at times.Then again as mentioned a nerve pinched from the elbow area could be aggravated.

[phantumx]

ok let me explain it a little more,
example : you are sitting and you raise your feet and let it hang on your other leg, after a while you feel these kind of ants running all over your leg because the blood flow is almost blocked.

this is the same thing that happens in my left arm but i am not holding it over my head.. seems like the blood flow is reduced... could someone pinpoint me to a possible way to fix that? maybe stretching ???

[BIG GUNNS]

ok let me explain it a little more,
example : you are sitting and you raise your feet and let it hang on your other leg, after a while you feel these kind of ants running all over your leg because the blood flow is almost blocked.

this is the same thing that happens in my left arm but i am not holding it over my head.. seems like the blood flow is reduced... could someone pinpoint me to a possible way to fix that? maybe stretching ???

If this feelings comes just after your workout or hours after could be nothing more then the muscles pumped constricting on some blood vessles .I used to get somewhat of the same feeling under my armpit after arms workouts when I was fully pumped .I had to keep lifting my arm up as it felt like blood flow was constricted.I think its nothing to worry about really.

[phantumx]

yeah I don't think it is much to care about,

but it happens randomly in the day.. even if i've been working out that day or not.. like it could happen right now while i'm typing.. or while i'm sleeping and it wakes me up.. or even while i'm driving my car.. or w/e..

I'll just wait a few more days and see if it happens again, one thing I know for sure is that it doesn't happen while I'm working out or immediatly after.

[Bondi]

100% nerve irritation

Stretch! (entire neural tract)
Biceps nerve: Palm 90 degree flat against wall, arm straight and turn your body like a chest stretch.
Trap stretch: tilt head side bending
Chest Stretch: can use a doorframe
Forearms Flexors: Arm straight pull fingers backwards.

Also you can do some self massage. Squeeze or hold pressure into those muscles noted above. Don't press into the soft part where your biceps meets your forearm... arteries are there.

[KarateChris]

yeah I don't think it is much to care about,

but it happens randomly in the day.. even if i've been working out that day or not.. like it could happen right now while i'm typing.. or while i'm sleeping and it wakes me up.. or even while i'm driving my car.. or w/e..

I'll just wait a few more days and see if it happens again, one thing I know for sure is that it doesn't happen while I'm working out or immediatly after.

When did the feeling first start?
Does anything make it better? Worse?
Is it only in your arms (one arm more than the other?)?
Are you drinking plenty of water?

[phantumx]

Thanks for the infos guys,

to answer your questions chris,

The feelings have started since I've seen my biceps getting bigger from the muscle hypertrophy.
What makes it worst is when i have my arm perpendicular to the floor and my forearm parallel to the floor, what makes it better: when it happens I try to massage my arm and put it all perpendicular to the floor ( including forearm )
It only happens to my left arm
and yeah I drink water all day long.. maybe 5-6L./day

it happens like when I'm at school and I have my hands on the desk, or when I drive my car, when I am typing on my PC or even making food lol.
Doesn't happen when I work out though.

[KarateChris]

Thanks for the infos guys,

to answer your questions chris,

The feelings have started since I've seen my biceps getting bigger from the muscle hypertrophy.
What makes it worst is when i have my arm perpendicular to the floor and my forearm parallel to the floor, what makes it better: when it happens I try to massage my arm and put it all perpendicular to the floor ( including forearm )
It only happens to my left arm
and yeah I drink water all day long.. maybe 5-6L./day

it happens like when I'm at school and I have my hands on the desk, or when I drive my car, when I am typing on my PC or even making food lol.
Doesn't happen when I work out though.

Since you say it feels like your arm is "asleep" (i.e. not getting enough circulation), and it feels better when you massage it and bring your whole arm perpendicular to the floor (both of which would increase blood flow to the arm - 1 by massaging and 2 by gravity pulling the blood to your forearm since it's now perpendicular), I'm thinking your arm just easily falls asleep from poor circulation. Probably nothing you have to worry about. Increased water retention could cause limbs to fall asleep which is why I asked if you were drinking enough water. I doubt it has anything to do with hypertrophy.

[partsRheavy]

Move it around and avoid clothing that's too restrictive (last year's jacket?).

Can't do too much in class, but ya can probably get away with a yawn-stretch. Make it look like you're bored...get the teacher/prof to say something interesting.

Get up from the computer every 20 min/1/2 an hour and walk around. Should get rid of it.