Your arm pain may be coming from your neck

Cervical radiculopathy is the medical term used when a spinal disc in the neck irritates or compresses a nerve root, causing pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arm and hand. Specific neck movements, such as twisting or bending, can increase the pain. This can occur due to an injury or degenerative changes in the spine. The good news is that over 95% of people recover with natural treatments, such as chiropractic care.

Why it's important:

A pinched nerve in the neck can cause a lot of pain, and it can be tempting to reach for medication for relief. However, research shows that you might want to contact your chiropractor before taking any pills. The Annals of Internal Medicine found that chiropractic adjustments provided more pain relief than medication for people suffering from neck pain, and the relief was long-lasting. Patients in the study experienced statistically significant relief for up to a year after initial treatment.

How Chiropractic Can Help:

The discs in your neck can compress or irritate your nerves, causing pain, numbness, or weakness. Research has shown that chiropractic adjustments are more effective than medication in both the short and long term. In fact, chronic neck pain can be reduced by up to 75% or more after chiropractic adjustments.

Next steps:

Research has shown that chiropractic care is an extremely safe and effective healthcare option for treating neck pain or pinched nerves. Furthermore, chiropractors are trained to help you proactively manage neck pain and prevent it from occurring in the first place. Ask us about some simple stretches and exercises you can do to help improve your range of motion while keeping your discs and nerves healthy and happy.

Scientific sources:

• Spinal manipulation, medication, or home exercise with counseling for acute and subacute neck pain: a randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine, Volume 156, 2012.

• Safety of chiropractic manipulation of the cervical spine. SPINE, Volume 32, 2007.

• Evidence-based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with neck pain. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Volume 37, 2014.

• Outcomes of patients with MRI-confirmed symptomatic cervical disc herniation treated with high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulation therapy. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 2013.

I hope this information has been helpful. If you experience arm or neck pain, consider consulting a chiropractor to explore natural and effective treatment options. Your health comes first!