@claremcglo62 You may be describing Thoracic Outlet Syndrome with your arm symptoms. It has symptoms that overlap with Carpal Tunnel and is most often missed by doctors who are not familiar with it for several years, so a patient goes from doctor to doctor with no answers, and sometimes being given alternate explanations that are without merit. In fact, I had carpal tunnel surgery that did not completely cure my pain because the surgeon missed that I had TOS and then he refused to even authorize physical therapy for me. Per my neurologist, they gloss over this in med school in just a day or 2. TOS is a compression syndrome that can originate in the neck in the scalene muscles and also at various places under the collar bone and under the pec minor muscle near the arm pit. A muscle spasm in the neck can trigger symptoms that can move vertebrae or change alignment. TOS has a few variations in that it can compress nerves and/or blood vessels.

It can be common in cervical spine patients. I had a cervical spine injury with a whiplash and later had a C5/C6 fusion that improved symptoms, but I still have TOS. I had been working with a physical therapist when the spine problem became apparent and I stopped progressing. My hands used to get cold and turn blueish purple or blotchy. If I had my neck at a particular angle or position, it would trigger pain down my arm or numbness fairly quickly. Neck support while sleeping is very important because the arms can go numb at night. It is a positional problem in that raising the arms above the shoulders causes compression and cuts off blood supply. Waking up with an arm totally numb when you are not laying on it is a clue that you may have this condition.

The good news is that usually physical therapy is the best way to treat TOS and posture is very important. In order to get a correct diagnosis, it is best to find a medical facility that lists TOS as a condition they treat. This is why I came to Mayo as a patient with a cervical spine issue and TOS and they needed to assess how much of the symptoms were caused by the spine vs the TOS. Neurologists diagnose this, and surgeons who treat this may be vascular thoracic surgeons. They don't always recommend surgery, and surgery creates scar tissue that can make TOS worse. My physical therapist also does myofascial release to loosen up all the tight tissue that causes the compressions. Here are some links to information.

Mayo Clinic information
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thoracic-outlet-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20353988
Myofascial Release Discussion
Neuropathy - "Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain"
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/
MSK Neurology Website
https://mskneurology.com/how-truly-treat-thoracic-outlet-syndrome/
Sometimes too much exercise or lifting involving the shoulders can aggravate TOS. Stretching is usually good especially when stretching out the pec muscles on the front of the chest.

Will you consider consulting a neurologist with experience in diagnosing TOS?