This condition is an irritation or compression of one or more nerve roots in the cervical spine. Because these nerves travel to the shoulders, arms and hands, an injury in the cervical spine can cause symptoms in these areas. Cervical radiculopathy may result from a variety of problems with the bones and tissues of the cervical spinal column.
A pinched nerve in the neck often causes tingling, pain, and weakness into one or both arms. Arm symptoms depends on the affected nerve root(s), with the C7, C6, and C5 nerve roots most commonly involved, roughly in that order. Patients often have pain and tingling from the neck or shoulder into the hand, and their pattern of weakness will depend on the nerve roots involved. For example, patients with C7 nerve root involvement would have difficulty doing a push-up and tingling into the middle fingers of the hand. Patients with C5 nerve root involvement would have more difficulty with bicep curls, and tingling further up the arm rather than the hand.
All of our medical providers at Seattle Spine & Sports Medicine are trained on the detailed neuroanatomy— the wiring diagram if you will— to translate neck with related arm symptoms into a clear diagnosis. A keystone to the diagnosis is a good history from the patient, a thorough neurologic exam, and when appropriate, advanced imaging such as a cervical MRI scan or electrodiagnosis.
We also focus on ruling out competing diagnoses, such as thoracic outlet syndrome, shoulder impingement or instability, and more distant nerve entrapments. As physiatrists, we are uniquely trained to assess both the musculoskeletal and neurologic systems, rather than isolating our expertise to only one area. This helps us to provide a comprehensive approach to both diagnosis and treatment.
