Pinched nerve

[abunaitoo]

I think I have a pinched nerve in my neck.
Right side of the neck has been sore/stiff for a couple of months.
Just this past week, I noticed that if I have my right arm up, it starts to tingle.
Like no circulation.
I lower the arm and shake it, it goes away.
No sharp pain. No loss of strength or mobility.
More of an annoyance than anything.
No accident or falls. No really heavy lifting. Nothing I can think of as to what might have been the cause.
Don't care for doctors. All those I went to, are more concerned about money than me.
Anyone else have this happen to them???
Getting old. Lots of new strange things happening.

[jmort]

That is too long to endure neck pain. The arm symptoms may be related to your cervical discs. I would see a neurosurgeon and get it checked. Could be stenosis.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

A good chiropractor will help did wonders for my back

[jcren]

Have a neurologist check it before you try chiropractor. I had simular symtoms that turned out to be a crushed disc between c6 and c7. Surgery to fuse was scary but is a common procedure these days and no problems now 2 years later.

[RogerDat]

Same symptoms as a pinched nerve in the back that runs down the leg. Worth finding out what is what. If inflammation from nerve irritation is causing soft tissue to swell it can be a vicious cycle. The more irritated the nerve the more the tissue around it reacts the more it irritates the nerve. Advil or a medicine that helps reduce nerve irritation can help. This stuff is annoying but not generally permanent. Might crop up again but is more irritation than damaging.

Bone bumping against bone can cause a bone spur (or two if your really lucky) to form. The spur can impinge on the nerve where it branches out from the spine and the longer it goes on the worse it will get. Nerves do heal but they are slow to do so, and if they get chewed up enough by a bone impinging on them they don't heal 100%

Also you can have shoulder issues that will cause nerve response down arm and toward neck. Torn soft tissue, bone spurs, that sort of thing. Early intervention generally avoids more damage. No different than worn suspension parts create faster tire wear on a car.

Not a doctor but have dealt with these things myself, and all I can say is you don't want to wait to deal with them. Unless you find out the cause it's just a gamble as to how much damage or long term consequences you could have avoided with prompt intervention. My left shoulder started out pretty much how you described, by the time I went in I could still use it but a sneeze or sharp movement was extremely painful, like make you swear in church hurt.

The bone spurs by that time were larger and had done a lot more damage to the soft tissue of the joint. Surgery was the same but recovery took longer and since you generally don't get back 100% you have to ask yourself would you rather be left with 10% of twice as much damage? Or 10% of half as much damage?

I have worn disks and had one herniated so that is my other point of reference. Cortisone shots tend to be first step see if that settles things and helps things heal. If it helps great, if it helps but fades then at least they know the target for the issue. Least invasive, least expensive first place to start. Spine or shoulder I would expect shots would be in the plan if anti inflammatory oral medication didn't work. Wife's shoulder got better from that, my shoulder did but not by much, MRI showed the spurs. Back improved from shots but only for a month or two, MRI showed nerve pinched to half size by bone spur and collapsed disk. But the shots did pinpoint where to look. They worked a bit because they hit the problem spot.

I would suspect nerve from neck to shoulder and could be at back or in shoulder but that is what doctors are for. Hope you can find one you can respect and work with.

[abunaitoo]

For a long time, I've had cracking in the neck.
When turning my head, I always hear a crackling noise.
Besides the noise, never bothered me.
Just getting old. Everything falling apart.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Some of the crackling is new bone material (calcium phosphate?) being honed smooth in the joint, I believe? I've been told that's just normal and not a problem. Have arthritis now though so I get more crunchy grinding, mumble.

[poppy42]

I have 5 herniated disc‘s in my neck been that way for close to 30 years . Most of the time am fine But I do experience flareups depending on what I do. After the problems and your nerve damage I had after my first lower back surgery there’s no way I’m letting someone monkey around with my neck and less I absolutely have to. Surgeons get paid to cut! As I said sometimes I experience flareups I’ve been experiencing one for about five months now. I’m experiencing the same symptoms you describe . I wouldn’t necessarily see a neurosurgeon but I would have a checked out which is generally going to mean MRIs MylaGrams and a whole lot of other expensive tests. I can tell you from experience relief can sometimes be found with a home traction device . There are several different types available ranging from a collar to a weighted device that hangs over your door and attaches to your neck . I got mine for about 20 bucks on Amazon . I am no physician and definitely not trying to diagnose mental conditions via a post in an open forum . I know what I have and know what my options are . I can tell you is I literally feel your pain and to wish you good luck !

[Wayne Smith]

I have had a infrequent nerve pinch in my neck since I was a kid (now 65). If I turn my head wrong I get a pain that is anything from a sharp tinge to a screaming pain down my arm or up around by skull. Chiropractic helps - and I had a disk slip in my lower back several years ago, along with stenosis, and I see my chiropractor and massage therapist about twice a month now just to keep everything relatively in place.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Mechanically the down side of a fusion operation is that once you do that surgery, the joints next to that one now have to move for themselves PLUS the fused one, and take the matching stress they had before PLUS about half the stress of the fused one - I have friends who have had one fusion, then both the adjacent joints fused, and so on till their entire spine is fused. They were not happy campers, putting it mildly - screaming pain WAY too often.

I have some neck problems but am passing on fusions, for that reason. Do your own research o'course.

[farmerjim]

If you do nothing, you could be paralyzed for life. I had the pain in my neck and down my right arm. Xray showed one disc totally gone. Dr sent me to neurosurgeon a easy fusion, and no pain for the last 6 years. Dr said that if I had waited any longer I could have had permanent nerve damage. Go see a doctor and get a xray soon.

[MrWolf]

Have a neurologist check it before you try chiropractor. I had simular symtoms that turned out to be a crushed disc between c6 and c7. Surgery to fuse was scary but is a common procedure these days and no problems now 2 years later.

Good advice. I have that and way more. If they want to operate get more opinions. Once they cut you seems to be the start of a downhill slide. Could also try an inversion table like Teeter. I have one and used to love it. Neck and back so bad now just causes more pain to use it but I do sleep on the floor 75% of the time. Try that for a few days see if it helps. Just keep 2/3's of blankets under you.. Good luck.

[Wayne Smith]

Remember if you are a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Surgeons see surgery, chiropractors see manipulation, neurologists do tests to see what is there.

Back surgery is very different now than it was even a couple years ago. they are using artificial disks now, for instance. Before you dismiss surgery get a very specific description of what the surgeon intends, using models ideally. Then ask about other options.

[Dieselhorses]

I have cervical and lumbar stenosis, nothing to play with! That's where the spinal column shrinks and your nerves touch the walls frequently.

[RED BEAR]

went to chiropractor once couldn't move right for a month. never again!

[smokeywolf]

Had a pinched nerve in my neck about 15 years ago. Went to the GP. He sent me to get a CT scan. After evaluating the CT scan he sent me to a chiropractor. 5 visits with the chiropractor and problem solved. As I get older, I'm too spooked to use a chiropractor any more.

[NSB]

Google "Cervical Radiculopathy". It's a common disorder and can be treated. Sometimes surgery is required to stop the problem. Don't go to a chiropractor until you see a medical doctor first. Damage can be done to the nerve by manipulating the neck with this condition.

[abunaitoo]

Long time ago, I was sent to a chiropractor for back spasms.
One month and nothing changed.
I felt like it was a waste of time.
Massage felt good, but it didn't do anything too.
Even tried acupuncture. Didn't do anything.
Doctor gave me some pills. Took two of them. Worked well, but didn't want to take them.
Still have them someplace.

[Dieselhorses]

Long time ago, I was sent to a chiropractor for back spasms.
One month and nothing changed.
I felt like it was a waste of time.
Massage felt good, but it didn't do anything too.
Even tried acupuncture. Didn't do anything.
Doctor gave me some pills. Took two of them. Worked well, but didn't want to take them.
Still have them someplace.

Best to get an MRI! Don't take anything for granted! Pills just take the edge off but problem still looms.