Can Your Neck Cause Arm Pain?

Bottom Line:

Have you ever had a “dead arm”? It’s an uncomfortable combination of pain and numbness from sitting or sleeping in an awkward position that thankfully goes away after a few minutes. If you have cervical radiculopathy, that same feeling of pain, numbness, and weakness in your arm isn’t likely to go away on its own. Intense pain, numbness, or weakness in your arm and shoulder is commonly caused by a neck injury. If a disc, bone or ligament irritates or compresses a nerve root in your neck, it can create symptoms in your arm and shoulder. The nerves that exit the spine in your neck are responsible for the sensation and strength in your arm, and when those nerves become aggravated, it can result in pain.

Why it Matters:

Cervical radiculopathy is often misdiagnosed. It would seem as though the pain in your arm would be an “arm problem,” not a neck problem. Arthritic and degenerative changes slowly change the structure of your spine. Add in any sports injuries, poor posture, and the effects of gravity, and you quickly create a situation where your biomechanics, or how you move, is less than ideal. Over time this can result in destructive changes to the bone, disc, and ligament which in turn irritate the nearby nerves. Fortunately, exciting new research has showcased that Chiropractic care may be one of the safest and most effective conservative care options to help you recover from cervical radiculopathy.

- The nerves in your neck travel down your arm and hand to provide strength and sensation.

- Arm and hand pain or weakness can originate from the nerves coming from your neck.

- Research has shown Chiropractic care can provide more relief than many commonly prescribed medications and injections.

Next Steps:

Be sure to attend our next workshop which will help give you practical tips to avoid neck and arm pain. The care we provide is specifically designed to help you find lasting relief and regain your quality of life, and in this complimentary workshop, you will discover all the natural ways cervical radiculopathy can be prevented and treated. We look forward to seeing you there!

Science Source:

Spine Manipulation Post-Epidural Injection for Lumbar and Cervical Radiculopathy: A Retrospective Case Series. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. September 2004 Chiropractic Treatment of Cervical Radiculopathy Caused by a Herniated Cervical Disc. JMPT 1994