Your Arm Pain Could Be a Neck Problem

Bottom Line:

Arm or wrist discomfort can make typing, lifting, driving and training harder than usual. Tingling or numbness can be particularly distracting. An assessment can help you understand which parts of the neck, shoulder, elbow or wrist might be relevant.

Why it Matters:

Sometimes neck-related nerve irritation contributes to symptoms travelling into an arm, but hand and arm pain can have other causes. Where you feel the discomfort does not, by itself, show where it is coming from. The history and examination should guide any recommendations.

A disc herniation in the neck may sometimes irritate a nerve, but individual symptoms vary and not everyone needs the same care. Published outcomes from selected patient groups cannot predict what will happen for you. Other reading includes scoliosis and spinal assessment and posture and movement.

Next Steps:

If arm symptoms are affecting work or exercise, we can talk through the history and explain whether chiropractic care, further medical assessment or another option may suit you. Our separate article covers everyday back discomfort. New patients at MyChiro in Bondi Junction can book a free initial consultation for assessment and advice. Treatment is not included; optional same-day treatment is $125 if clinically appropriate.

Science Source(s):

Symptomatic, Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Confirmed Cervical Disk Herniation Patients: A Comparative-Effectiveness Prospective Observational Study of 2 Age- and Sex-Matched Cohorts Treated With Either Imaging-Guided Indirect Cervical Nerve Root Injections or Spinal Manipulative Therapy. JMPT 2016