Hand and arm (upper extremity) complications include nerve damage and tissue damage from chronically elevated blood glucose.
Hand complications
Neuropathy
Symptoms are tingling, pain and/or numbness in the fingers and hands. Less commonly, there can be muscle weakness and loss.
Carpal tunnel or ulnar tunnel nerve entrapment syndrome:
Nerves can get pinched by soft tissue buildup in the nerve tunnels in the wrist (carpal tunnel) and elbow (ulnar tunnel). This pressure on the nerves leads to pain, tingling, numbness and sometimes even muscle wasting.
Dupuytren’s contracture
This is a shortening of tendons in the palm of the hand that bends the fingers and keeps them from being straightened.
Trigger finger
In this condition, a nodule on the tendon gets caught and keeps the finger from fully straightening.
Shoulder complications
Frozen shoulder
Buildup of connective tissue causes adhesions in the shoulder joint space. This restricts arm movement and can be very painful.