Neck and Arm Pain

Patients with neck and/or arm Pain should be evaluated for issues with the neck (cervical spine).  The cervical spine is made up of 7 vertebrae.  The spinal cord runs through the middle of the cervical spine.  Individual nerve roots exit the spinal cord at each cervical level.  Compression of either the spinal cord or the nerve roots can result in neck Pain, arm Pain, tingling, numbness, and/or weakness.  This often occurs due to a disc herniation or stenosis (thickened ligament).  Severe compression of the spinal cord can result in upper arm and leg weakness, poor hand grip, dropping objects from the hands, loss of fine motor skills in the hands, and/or loss of balance.  This constellation of symptoms is often referred to as cervical myelopathy.  Patients may also experience Pain due to arthritic changes in the neck, resulting in facet hypertrophy or kyphotic alignment of the cervical spine.