Have you ever experienced chronic neck pain that sometimes radiates to your shoulders, or numbness and weakness in your arms that makes it difficult to move? If you have, these could be dangerous signs of nerve compression in the cervical spine or degenerative disc disease that is no longer able to support the pressure.

And if left untreated, these symptoms can develop into permanent loss of neck and arm movement.

Common symptoms

⭐ Neck, shoulder, and upper back pain radiating down the arm.

The pain starts in the neck and radiates to the shoulder, upper arm, and the affected side. Patients may experience a burning or stinging sensation in their fingertips. Sometimes, the pain occurs while sitting for long periods or performing activities that heavily strain the neck, further increasing pressure on the nerve and causing pain.

⭐ Numbness and tingling in the arms and hands.

Numbness and tingling in the arms and hands are common symptoms in patients with nerve compression. Patients may feel like needles are pricking their arms or wrists, or have a dull ache in their fingertips.

This condition often worsens as the nerve is compressed more.

⭐ Weakness and difficulty moving the arms.

Arm weakness can occur when the nerves that control arm movement are compressed. As the arm muscles weaken, patients may feel like their arm has no strength, making it difficult to lift or move their arm, and feeling like their hand can't perform normal activities such as picking up objects or driving.

⭐ It affects daily activities.

When unable to move their arm normally, patients may need to spend more time performing tasks that were previously easy, or sometimes may be unable to perform certain tasks at all. These symptoms can increase stress and anxiety and may lead to a loss of self-confidence.

Causes of this symptom

🔷 Cervical disc herniation or slippage

When a cervical intervertebral disc herniates or moves out of its normal position, it can compress a nerve. If this compression persists, it can cause neck pain that radiates down the arms and hands, leading to numbness, weakness, and difficulty with movement.

🔷 Cervical stenosis

When the spinal canal in the cervical spine narrows, it compresses the nerves, causing neck pain that radiates down the arms, and may also result in numbness and tingling in the arms or hands.

🔷 Cervical disc degeneration leading to loss of function.

When the vertebrae and intervertebral discs degenerate to the point where they can no longer adequately support the pressure, it can compress the nerves in the neck. This results in persistent pain in the neck and arms, making it difficult to carry out daily activities normally.

🔷Injuries from accidents or improper movement.

Accidents or frequent, incorrect movements can damage the cervical vertebrae or intervertebral discs, causing them to shift and compress nerves. This results in neck pain radiating down the shoulders, arms, and hands, and may also cause sudden arm weakness.

Diagnostic and treatment guidelines.

When experiencing severe neck pain, you should consult a specialist immediately. Advanced technologies such as X-rays and MRIs can help doctors accurately diagnose the cause and severity of spinal disc degeneration or nerve compression.

Doctors may consider minimally invasive surgery (MIS) or intervertebral disc replacement if a patient has chronic neck pain caused by degenerated intervertebral discs that are no longer functional.

Therefore, cervical spine surgery, which involves sensitive nerve areas, requires the expertise of experienced specialists in both treatment and surgery, along with state-of-the-art technology, to ensure the safest and most effective treatment possible.