Pinched nerve in neck making fingers numb

Table of Contents Show

• Understanding your neck nerves
• Head and neck pain
• Shoulder pain
• Bicep, wrist, thumb, and index finger pain
• Triceps and middle finger pain
• Finger pain and weak grip
• Treating cervical radiculopathy
• What is Cervical Radiculopathy? (Tingling in Arms)
• What Are the Symptoms of Radiculopathy?
• What Causes Radiculopathy?
• Treatment Options forCervical Radiculopathy
• Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Cervical Radiculopathy
• Surgical Treatment Options for Cervical Radiculopathy
• Request an Appointment Today in Our Office or Virtually
• How do I get rid of a pinched nerve in my neck?
• How long does numbness in fingers last from pinched nerve?
• What helps pinched nerve numbness in fingers?
• What fingers are affected by pinched nerve in neck?

Your neck is a complicated part of your anatomy. It’s the hub of several nerve roots that branch out from your spinal cord and allow your shoulders, arms, and hands to feel and move. If those nerves become damaged or inflamed, you have a condition called cervical radiculopathy — the umbrella term used to describe changes in nerve function in your cervical, or neck, region.

Dr. Jay M. Shah at the Samwell Institute for Pain Management understands the complexities of cervical radiculopathy and can help you get to the bottom of your nerve pain. Using the latest technology in his state-of-the-art facilities, Dr. Shah accurately diagnoses the source of your nerve damage and designs a treatment plan to help you overcome chronic, debilitating pain. 

Understanding your neck nerves

Your spine is made up of 33 small bones called vertebrae, and they stack one on top of the next in a long line commonly known as the spinal column. The bottom section is called the lumbar region, the middle is the thoracic section, and the top part — your neck — is the cervical region. Each vertebra is numbered, and the cervical section contains C1-C8.

In order to give your extremities feeling and movement, the nerves rooted in your spine branch out from in between your vertebrae and travel throughout your body. You have eight pairs of cervical nerve roots. If you have an injury or develop a condition — such as degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, or a herniated disc — that puts pressure on those cervical nerves, you may feel the effects not only in your neck, but in the places where those nerves travel. 

Here are some of the signs and symptoms of cervical radiculopathy:

Head and neck pain

The C1-C3 cervical nerves control your head and neck. If you feel pain when you bend your neck forward or backward, or flex to bend it side-to-side, you may have a damaged nerve in the upper three sections.

Shoulder pain

The next cervical nerve, C4, is responsible for part of your neck, your upward shoulder movements such as shrugging and lifting, and your upper arms. It also partners with its neighbors, C3 and C5, to regulate your diaphragm. Pain in your shoulders may be attributable to a nerve in this area.

Bicep, wrist, thumb, and index finger pain

Reaching down the length of your arm, the C6 nerve affects the bicep muscle in your upper arm, your wrist, and the thumb side of your hand, which may include your index finger. Tingling or numbness in these areas may indicate cervical radiculopathy.

Triceps and middle finger pain

If your tricep (that large muscle on the back part of your upper arm) hurts, it could be a sign of cervical radiculopathy, as the C7 nerve controls that muscle. In fact, it runs all the way down to your middle finger, so if your symptoms show up there, it’s also a good indicator that C7 is involved.

Finger pain and weak grip

The last of the cervical nerves, C8, allows you to grasp things and flex your fist. If you feel a pins-and-needles sensation, a notable weakness, or a numbing in your fourth finger or pinky finger, or if you’ve been unable to grip things, C8 may be the culprit.

Treating cervical radiculopathy

Once Dr. Shah narrows down the source of your nerve pain, he can determine the best treatment plan. The first order of business is to relieve your pain, which may be accomplished through medications that reduce inflammation.

Then, Dr. Shah addresses the root cause of the nerve pain, whether it’s a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, or some other condition. Often times, physical therapy is enough to strengthen your musculoskeletal system and stop your chronic pain; other times, surgery is the best way to treat the problem once and for all. Other treatments include trigger point injections, epidural spinal injections, spinal cord stimulation,  traction, and manual manipulation.

If you’re experiencing pain in your neck, shoulders, arms, or hands, it might be cervical radiculopathy and we can help. Give us a call or use our online booking tool to schedule a consultation right away. You don’t have to live with the pain anymore. 

Cervical radiculopathy is an umbrella term for radiating pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness caused by irritation of the cervical nerve roots.

What is Cervical Radiculopathy? (Tingling in Arms)

Cervical radiculopathy describes pain or tingling in the arms, hands or fingers that is the result of a condition that irritates a nerve in the spinal column — in particular, in the neck (cervical). Cervical Radiculopathy is a disease of the root of a nerve in the cervical spine, possibly from a pinched nerve or a tumor, that becomes inflamed or damaged. This results in a change in neurological function such as numbness, altered reflexes, or weakness. Pain can radiate anywhere from the neck into the shoulder, arm, hand, or fingers.

Cervical Radiculopathy (Tingling in Arms)

 
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.

What Are the Symptoms of Radiculopathy?

Commonly those who have a compressed nerve in the neck area experience pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling in the arms. The Pins-and-needles tingling and/or pain can range from achy to shock-like or burning and may also radiate from the arm to the hand.

What Causes Radiculopathy?

Typically, radiculopathy occurs when the tissues surrounding the nerve roots, like bones of the spinal vertebrae, change or shift in size. When this happens, they may narrow the spaces where the nerve roots are traveling inside the spine or exiting the spine. It can be caused by gradual degeneration of the spine or because of a spinal injury.

Cervical herniated discs (discs in your neck area) are also a common cause of radiculopathy. As a disc slips or shifts from place or becomes damaged and presses on nerves it causes the symptoms.

Other causes include bone spurs (areas of extra bone growth) due to inflammation from trauma, osteoarthritis, or other degenerative conditions such as cervical spinal stenosis. Some less common causes are spinal infections and cancerous or noncancerous growths in the spine that can press against the nerve roots.

If you’re feeling arm or hand numbness, weakness in the arms or hands, or radiating arm pain, the cause may actually be in your neck — without causing neck pain.

Treatment Options forCervical Radiculopathy

Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Cervical Radiculopathy

There are several ways to handle the numbness in your arm caused by a pinched nerve in the neck. Here are some of the most common recommendations:

• Rest or activity modification. Sometimes the tingling in the arm will go away after a period of rest that includes limited activities such as a sports, lifting heavy objects or sitting and standing in proper positions.
• Physical therapy. A physical therapist may be able to help you relieve tightened muscles that could be constricting the vertebrae and causing the pinched nerve.
• Ice and/or heat. Applying an ice pack or a heated gel pack to the neck might offer pain relief for some people. For example, using an ice pack after an activity that causes pain or numbness in the arm can help reduce inflammation and pain.
• Pain management with medication or injections. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen could likely be tried first. If they are not helping further investigation into the cause of the problem may be needed.

Surgical Treatment Options for Cervical Radiculopathy

If non-surgical treatment options aren’t helping, it may be time to see what can be done with minimally invasive surgery. It’s important that you return to a regular level of activity and a surgery may be able to provide the relief you need. The videos below give an overview of the various procedures that are available if your neck pain specialist feels it may be appropriate.

If you are in the North Houston, Conroe, The Woodlands, Spring area and believe you need to see a spine specialist for arm or hand numbness, weakness in the arms or hand or radiating arm pain, call our office at 281-880-0700 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Fayaz.

Request an Appointment Today in Our Office or Virtually

How do I get rid of a pinched nerve in my neck?

How long does numbness in fingers last from pinched nerve?

What helps pinched nerve numbness in fingers?

What fingers are affected by pinched nerve in neck?