Cervical Radiculopathy is termed as pain or numbness radiating from an irritated nerve in the cervical spine or neck. It’s caused by compression or irritation of a nerve as its leaving the spinal column and can cause a lot of pain if not treated. These nerves function by branching out to muscles that allow the hands, arms, shoulders, and fingers to function properly. They also allow you to feel sensation by carrying sensory fibers to the skin.
When you have numbness in the fingers and hands, there’s a pretty good possibility that it stems from a pinched nerve in the neck. Here are some of the main causes of why numbness may occur.
Causes of a Pinched Nerve
One of the most common causes of a pinched nerve is from a herniated disc within the cervical spine.A herniated disk can happen when the disk between the vertebrae leaks out and affects the nerve’s overall function. This can be caused by overuse or overtraining, injury, or trauma to the body.
Another cause of cervical radiculopathy can be spinal stenosis, which occurs in the cervical spine. This happens when the spaces between your spine narrow as you age. Degenerative disc disease, which is the thinning of your spinal discs as you age, could also be another reason a person is experiencing pinched nerves and pain.
Symptoms of Pinched Nerves
The cervical spine is composed of 8 cervical nerves and 7 cervical vertebrae, labeled C1 through C8. Each nerve in the cervical spine has a unique function that it carries out in the body. However, the most common types of cervical radiculopathy include C5, C6, C7, and C8 radiculopathy. C5 radiculopathy symptoms include pain or weakness in the shoulders and upper arms, but there is usually no numbness in these areas.
C6 radiculopathy causes weakness in the biceps and sensory loss for the thumb and index finger. The wrist extensors also become weakened. C7 radiculopathy, which is the most common type, has symptoms of weak triceps and wrist flexors. Sensory loss occurs in the posterior forearm and the middle finger. C8 radiculopathy symptoms include weakness in hand grip and the inner muscles of the hand.These all affect the arms, shoulders, and hands in our body. If you are feeling numbness or weakness in these regions of your body, cervical radiculopathy is definitely a major possibility.
Get in Touch with Texas Spine Clinic
There are many things you can do to treat cervical radiculopathy. Going to a professional and beginning physical therapy is a great first step. Texas Spine Clinic’s team of professionals is qualified to treat your problems and help you relieve the pain. Contact us today and receive a free spinal pain relief kit.
