Pain in the neck and shoulders tend to originate due to issues with the cervical spine. Factors ranging from issues with the soft tissues in the region, all the way to a sudden injury or damage to the nerve roots in this region of the spine can contribute to neck pain that is either localised or referred to other parts of the body, such as the arms.
Symptoms
When a medical condition or an event affects the cervical spine, the neck and shoulders may be affected. The person may feel pain at first, which may start in the neck and then extend to the shoulders, arms or hands and it may either occur by itself or be accompanied by other symptoms. Examples of symptoms include:
- Numbness or tingling sensations starting in the neck, down to the hands
- Muscle weakness that may affect the neck, shoulders and arms
- The pain may become worse when moving the neck, shoulders, or arms
Neck and shoulder pain causes
Pain that affects this region of the body may be due to:
- Wear and tear of the neck/spine structures due to aging or degenerative conditions, such as degenerative disc disease, which leads to the breakdown of the spinal discs that are situated between the vertebrae
- Nerve compression in the neck, also known as cervical radiculopathy or pinched nerve
- A sudden injury that damaged a nerve in the cervical spine, such as a sports accident
- Bone spurs, which are tiny overgrowths on the bones in the neck, and which can sometimes grow into the spinal canal and obstruct the space needed for the spinal cord
- Spinal stenosis in the cervical spine can compress the nerves in that region
- Herniated/bulging discs can impinge on nerves in the neck and leads to back issues
Why the pain radiates down the arms
When neck and shoulder pain radiate down the arms it may be most likely due to their proximity to one another. When structures in the neck that suffer any type of damage, it can easily extend to any nearby body parts, and in this case can cause arm pain.
This phenomenon is most common when a nerve root in the neck has been pinched, especially when that nerve has a direct connection with the arm that it affects.
Pain that occurs specifically in the arms and/or hands may be due to local issues with the arm itself. On the other hand, when the pain originates in the neck, but extends down to the arm or even to the hand, it is likely that the source of the pain is within the neck region.
That being said, if the pain that affects the arm originates in the neck/cervical spine, by addressing the problem from its source (the neck), the pain and other symptoms should then go away.
At-home management and treatment options
The management or treatment of the pain may depend first and foremost on its cause, as well as whether or not there are other symptoms that accompany it. In many cases, pain in the arms that is due to neck problems can be addressed through non-surgical treatments, as surgery and more invasive types of treatment tend to be reserved for more extreme cases.
A first step that can be taken is to try remedies at home before resorting to more invasive options.
For example, in order to manage or treat the pain that occurs in either the arm, shoulder or neck, one or more of the following may be employed:
- Heat and ice therapy, where a combination of hot and cold fomentation is to be applied to the region where the pain occurs. It may also help to reduce swelling if there is any inflammation that occurred.
- Anti-inflammatory over-the-counter pain medication to temporarily lessen the pain, while a different method of treatment is being considered for the long-term.
- Use a spinal decompression device, such as the Backrack, to practice exercises that decompress the trapped nerve. Once the nerve in the neck is freed, the pain in the neck, shoulders, and arm should all disappear if they were all linked to the trapped nerve.
Spinal Backrack Technology for Effective Pain Relief
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Further treatment
If the symptoms persist even after several attempts had been made to address it through various methods at home, it is recommended for the sufferer to seek medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. He/she can perform a full examination of the patient’s condition and provide a diagnosis as well as a suitable treatment plan.
