A person with arm or hand swelling has a collection of fluid in the tissue beneath the skin. Swelling beneath the skin of the entire arm or hand is called edema.

Arm or hand swelling may be caused by:

• Venous insufficiency
• Deep venous thrombosis
• Arm injury
• Mastectomy arm swelling
• Lung cancer:
• Tumor in the upper lung that interferes with the arms lymph drainage