I had a MRI of my cervical spine on Wednesday and I'm seeing the neuro on Monday. It looks like I might have some pinched nerves. But could pinched nerves really account for all the significant and persistent left arm pain I'm experiencing?

I know pinched nerves can be very painful. However, my pain is over a month long, is constant, worsening, and producing temperature changes in the affected arm (it gets ice cold). I can't lift it (or just barely), it has a tremor, and I can't perform my normal daily activities or attend work.

I've had RSD before in my left foot. I also have psoriatic arthritis, once broke every bone in my left hand, had emergency gallbladder surgery and countless other pain-related events. My point is, I have a very high pain tolerance. This arm feels so painful that it feels like something, like a reoccurrence of the RSD, has to be going on in addition to a pinched nerve. I pinched a nerve in my leg before and it was nothing compared to the pain I'm currently in.

I know the neuro will be able to tell me more, but does anyone here know how I can symptomatically determine whether something is a pinched nerve or whether I have something additional going on?

I also have arm swelling, especially in the upper arm. I have NO numbness or pins and needles (though I do have an occasional prickly feeling). I also have constant burning, which alternates between feeling like my arm is in boiling water or like I have the worst sunburn of my life.

If pinched nerves might be a issue or even a part of your symptoms/pain, I would try therapies for that, PT, expert chiropractic, acupuncture, maybe even massage if it could be soft tissue entrapment's anything to try to resolve any direct nerve issues.

You might know more after getting the results of the MRI.
If nothing drastic shows up then the PT or other suggestions should be the next thing to try.