Less Specific Arm Illnesses

Unexplained symptoms are among the most common complaints addressed by health providers. Nonspecific (or less specific) arm pain, in particular, is characterized by vague, diffuse, uncharacteristic symptoms, and disproportionate pain and disability. Many of the conditions diagnosed and treated by hand specialists as specific abnormalities might be better considered nonspecific because no distinct, unique, characteristic pathology or pathophysiology can be identified. An approach that assumes that symptoms are directly related to underlying pathophysiology and ignores the important psychological and sociological contributions to illness risks hindering recovery.