Neck and Arm Pain

Most of us have experienced arm and neck pain at sometime or the other in our lives. Not only is there a dull, thudding pain experienced, but the discomfort also affects our performance and efficiency.Why do these ailments come about? What are its triggering factors? And how should one deal with it? Let us try to find out this.

There are many occasions in which neck and arm pain are experienced simultaneously. Let us try to understand what causes each of these.

Although neck pain can be caused by a number of reasons, arm pain is caused as a result of neck pain. There are mainly two types of neck pain that can be experienced.

In the first type, the symptoms usually involve a dull pain in the neck region that also leads to arm and shoulder pain. This kind of pain also brings about a weakness in several muscles. This is caused by a herniated disc that bulges into the spine and pinches a nerve root in the neck thus causing pain.

The gel-like center within two vertebrae is what allows the spine to bend, however, sometimes, this gel can also cause the disc to bulge and bend and when they bend out of shape, they push into the spine canal and can lead to severe pain, weakness, numbness and neck, as well as arm pain in the form of tingling sensations and numbness.

The other cause is due to spinal stenosis. In this condition, the area of the spine where the nerves end and travel to the rest of the body start becoming narrow. This condition can be caused by many reasons like a herniated disc, arthritis, trauma, tumors, bone spurs, thickened ligaments, and others.

Due to this, direct pressure is placed on the spine and leads to symptoms like difficulty in walking, loss of pain or temperature in arms, numbness and weakness in arms and legs, stiffness in neck, and poor balance.

These are some of the reasons that can lead to neck pain.

• Poor posture
• Muscle pull and strain
• Trauma
• Abnormalities in joints and bones
• Degenerative disease
• Cervical spine disorder
• Working on the computer for long hours
• Stress
• Whiplash injury

As we've said, and strangely enough, arm pain is usually a sign of something being wrong with the neck. Sometimes though, you will experience things like arm pain after sneezing or a tingling in the left arm followed by pain. Are all these caused due to pain in the neck? Most often, yes.

Sometimes they can also be caused by some cardiovascular diseases, but sneezing leading to arm pain is usually a sign of a pinched nerve in the neck.

Arm and neck pain is not something that should be ignored at all because they are usually signs of an underlying condition. When a person experiences pain in the neck, arms, shoulders or has muscle weakness, they need to consult a doctor immediately. The doctor will have to examine them in order to determine what is causing the pain.

The tissue that is leading to this pain and the exact cause of the same needs to be understood. Along with that, a history of the patient needs to be determined as well. Only after all these factors have been made clear will it be possible to administer the treatment. Do not take this pain lightly and have it examined by a physician immediately.

Now that you know what neck and arm pain is and how they are related, make sure that you keep a close watch on your body and check to see if you experience any of the symptoms. And if you do, contact a doctor immediately.

Disclaimer - This is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.