Numbness or Pain Down the Arm
Few disorders of the spine rival the frequency of low back pain.
One such disorder, however, is neck pain. Just as low back pain
often is accompanied by numbness or tingling in one or both legs,
neck pain is often accompanied by these sensations in the arms.
While many persons attribute these sensations to "circulation,"
they most often result from pinching or irritation of a spinal
nerve.
Several causes of numbness and tingling to the arms originate
in the neck. Perhaps the most common is restriction of movement
of a spinal joint. This may cause direct friction to the nerve
root as it exits the spine or secondary muscle tightness, which
can also produce nerve friction. Factors such as degeneration or
thinning of the spinal discs narrow the nerve openings in the
spine and predispose to nerve irritation. Those with disc thinning
or degeneration, however, respond to treatment well if normal joint
movement can be restored with manipulation.
Dr. J. K. Paterson, a medical doctor from Great Britain, performed
a large study on patients with spinal pain syndromes. Of the 364
patients studied with cervical spine or neck disorders, 115 reported
numbness, tingling or pain in one or both arms. A complete relief
of symptoms was obtained in 90 percent of the patients with neck
disorders using chiropractic manipulation. Interestingly, although
Dr. Paterson
had a high rate of success with pain disorders in the lower spine,
the success rate for neck pain and numbness to the arms was even
higher. This group of patients seems ideally suited to chiropractic
manipulation.
Numbness or tingling in one or both arms is usually the result
of a pinched or irritated nerve in the neck. Examination will reveal
the cause and rule out "poor circulation." Chiropractic
treatment is most often successful in resolving this condition
and should be considered in anyone with these symptoms.
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