Carolyn
This is common, but not very. The valve they mention, I suspect is a valve in the vein in the arm. Veins have valves, arteries do not. Apparently you are having some sort of blockage at the area of a valve in a vein of the arm that is bothering you. Make your Dr. put these facts together for you so you can understand it all. Dr.'s, too many times, talk in circles aaround a pt. believing they are being apt enough for the pt. to understand all he says. MAKE him get BASIC with all the facts when he talks to you. Ask him questions about the things I have written about here.