NECK & ARM PAIN / NUMBNESS

What is neck pain? What causes neck pain?

Pain located in the neck is a common medical condition. Neck pain can come from a number of disorders and diseases of any tissues in the neck, such as degenerative disc disease , neck strain, whiplash , a herniated disc , or a pinched nerve . Neck pain is also referred to as cervical pain.

What are other symptoms that are associated with neck pain?

Neck pain is commonly associated with dull aching. Sometimes pain in the neck is worsened with movement of the neck. Other symptoms associated with some forms of neck pain include numbness, tingling, tenderness, sharp shooting pain, fullness, difficulty swallowing , pulsations, swishing sounds in the head, dizziness or lightheadedness, and gland swelling .

What are the structures of the neck?

There are seven vertebrae that are the bony building blocks of the spine in the neck (the cervical vertebrae) that surround the spinal cord and canal. Between these vertebrae are discs, and nearby pass the nerves of the neck. Within the neck, structures include the neck muscles, arteries, veins, lymph glands, thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, esophagus, larynx, and trachea. Diseases or conditions that affect any of these tissues of the neck can lead to neck pain.

How is neck pain diagnosed?

In diagnosing the cause of neck pain, it is important to review the history of the symptoms. In reviewing the history, the doctor will note the location, intensity, duration, and radiation of the pain. Any past injury to the neck is noted. Aggravating and/or relieving positions or motions are also recorded. The neck is examined at rest and in motion. Tenderness is detected during palpation of the neck. An examination of the nervous system is performed to determine whether or not nerve involvement is present.

Further testing of undiagnosed neck pain can include x-ray evaluation, CAT scan , bone scan, MRI scan , myelogram , and electrical tests such as electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction velocity test (NCV).

How is neck pain treated?

The treatment of neck pain depends on its precise cause. Treatment options include rest, heat/ice applications, traction, soft collar, traction, physical therapy ( ultrasound , massage , manipulation), local injections of cortisone or anesthetics, topical anesthetic creams, topical pain patches, muscle relaxants, analgesics, and surgical procedures.

Arm Pain

Arm pain, strangely enough, is sometimes not a symptom of something wrong with the arm, but a problem in the cervical spine (neck). Neck problems can affect the shoulders, arms, and even hands. These problems can be caused by wear and tear over the years, trauma, or simply "over-doing-it" one weekend.

If you are suffering from arm pain and have been in any sort of accident involving your neck, you should seek treatment from a physician. Get a list of questions to ask your doctor .

Types of Pain

Acute pain is commonly described as a very sharp pain or a dull ache. Treatment of acute pain includes physical therapy, medication, and other preventative practices, but this is usually is short-term. Patients with acute pain, even when it's severe, will typically improve or completely recover within six to eight weeks.

However, individuals with acute pain occurring more than three times in one year or who experience longer-lasting episodes of arm pain that significantly interfere with functional activities (e.g., sleeping, sitting, standing, walking, bending, riding in or driving a car) tend to develop a chronic condition.

Chronic pain is commonly described as a deep, aching, dull or burning pain in one area of the neck or traveling down the arms. Patients may experience numbness, tingling, burning, or a pins-and-needles type sensation in the arms. Chronic pain tends to last a long time, and is not relieved by standard types of medical management like medication, physical therapy, or rest. It may result from a previous injury, or it may have an ongoing cause, such as nerve damage or arthritis. Keep track of your pain using our Neck Pain Tracker .

Causes of Arm Pain

Neck pain radiating down the arms is often caused by cervical spinal stenosis or a herniated disc.

Spinal stenosis refers to the narrowing of the area of the spine where the nerve leaves the spine and travels to the rest of the body. This narrowing can be caused by many things: herniated disc , bone spurs, thickened ligaments, thickened bony structures, trauma, arthritis, and tumors. As the nerve leaves the spine, it travels through an opening created by bony structures of the spine above and below the nerve. If the size of this area is decreased, the decreasing can lead to irritation and "pinching" of the nerve, leading to pain and sometimes loss of function. The nervous system is the "communication system" of your body, so anything interfering with this communication can cause loss of mobility as well as pain and discomfort.

When the outer lining that surrounds the disc tears, the soft center squeezes out through the opening, creating a herniated disc. This protrusion can then put pressure on a nerve leading to pain. When a nerve root or the spinal cord is being pinched, you may experience pain in your neck, and pain or numbness in one or both of your arms and hands. In severe cases, the muscles that are controlled by the nerve root that is being compressed by the disc herniation may become weak. The pain that you feel in your neck, back, and arms can come from a combination of a tear in the annulus fibrosis, from the pressure that the disc herniation puts on the nerve, or from irritation, inflammation and swelling within the nerve.

Numbness

Numbness is a very common and significant symptom of a cervical disorder. However, it is a poorly understood and difficult to describe symptom. Numbness is usually caused by what is commonly called a "pinched nerve." A nerve can get "pinched" or blocked by a number of cervical disorders. This blocking of the nerve causes the flow of nutrients to the nerve's membrane to slow down. This slow down can eventually cause the membrane to lose its ability to transmit tiny electrical charges and the nerve fiber may eventually die. When enough nerves stop working, the skin may feel numbness or a muscle supplied by the nerve may not be able to function normally.

A common cause for numbness in the arms or legs, associated with back or neck pain, is a herniated disc that "pinches" a nerve where it exits the spinal column. When the outer lining (annulus) of a disc "tears," its center (the nucleus) may rupture and press a spinal nerve(s) against the bony surface of a vertebra. Another cause of numbness is degenerative disc disease. DDD can cause bone spurs to form around the nerve roots. This usually occurs inside the foramen - the opening in the cervical spine where the nerve root leaves the spine to travel into the arm. If these bone spurs get large enough, they may begin to rub on the nerve root causing irritation. This causes the same symptoms as a herniated disc. The irritation causes: pain to run down the arm, numbness to occur in the areas to which the nerve provides sensation, and weakness in the muscles that the nerve supplies.

Spinal stenosis, or the narrowing of the spinal canal is another disorder that can cause the symptom of numbness. In the late stages of spinal degeneration, bone spurs and arthritic changes can make the space available for the spinal cord, within the spinal canal, much smaller. The bone spurs may begin to press on the spinal cord or the nerve roots, and that pressure on the nerves in the spinal cord can cause numbness.