Neck Pain

Cervical Stenosis and Arm Pain

Cervical Stenosis is a common condition that is caused by narrowing of the spinal canal in the neck.  This is usually caused by degeneration of the joints and the discs in the neck.  It can lead to pressure on the nerves coming out of the spinal canal and traveling into the arms.  This can cause potential arm pain/numbness/tingling/weakness, otherwise known as cervical radiculopathy.

Common Symptoms:

• Numbness/Tingling in an arm or hand
• Weakness in an arm or hand
• Difficulty doing fine motor tasks (buttoning shirt, picking up coins)
• Difficulty walking/balancing (walking feeling like intoxicated)
• Neck pain

Red Flag Symptoms:

• Loss of bowel or bladder control

Common Treatments:

• Physical therapy/home exercises
• Anti-inflammatories (Aleve, Motrin) or Tylenol
• Steroid/prednisone
• Steroid injections in the neck
• Surgical intervention

Please use the following link to learn more about neck and arm pain:

https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/cervical-radiculopathy-pinched-nerve/

Please use the following link to learn more about neck exercises.  Consult your physician before beginning any exercise program:

https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/recovery/spine-conditioning-program