ARM PAIN OR NUMBNESS AND TINGLING

 Arm pain or numbness/tingling are the result of nerve irritation or a compromise of blood flow somewhere between the spine and the hand.

Some of the most common causes of nerve pressure include: 

  1. Bulging/herniation of a disc in the neck  
  2. Narrowing of the hole where the nerve exit’s the spine (foraminal encroachment), peripheral entrapment, where the nerve is pressured by muscle spasm or inflammation. 

When a nerve is compromised, the pain or numbness/tingling will typically only be in parts of the arm or hand. In some cases the pain or numbness/tingling will be felt in both arms at the same time.

The most common causes of blood flow compromise are: 

1. Muscle spasm or inflammation in the neck, shoulder or arm.

The typical sensation is an arm numbness or tingling that will involve the whole arm or hand. The numbness and tingling is the result of decreased oxygen to the tissue due to decreased circulation.

In most cases chiropractic treatment with appropriate physiotherapy modalities and home stretching will help to resolve the problem.