A cervical disc herniation can cause a lot of pain and can be very common after a car accident. It is caused by the herniated disc “pinching” or pressing on a cervical nerve, which radiates pain along a specific nerve pathway. You may experience tingling and/or numbness down your arm and to your fingertips. Your muscles may even be weakened due to an ever-present cervical herniated disc.
A cervical herniated disc causes patterns of pain and neurological deficits in the following situations:
C5 Nerve Root – If a herniated disc is located here it can cause weakness in your upper arm through the deltoid muscle. It typically does not cause tingling or numbness, but it can cause shoulder pain.
C6 Nerve Root – This can cause a weakness in your biceps which are muscles located in the front of your upper arms as well as your wrists. Both numbness and pain are common and can radiate around the thumb side of your hand.
C7 Nerve Root – This causes weakness in your triceps which are the muscles in your upper arm that extend to the forearm as well as your finger extensor muscles. Tingling and numbness can occur along with radiating pain down the triceps to your middle finger.
C8 Nerve Root – This will cause weakness in your grip as well as numbness, tingling, and pain down your arm to your pinky side of your hand.
This list is composed of the more common pain patterns that come with cervical disc herniation, but they are not the only occurrences. Every individual can experience a different type of cervical disc herniation and your arm pain or symptoms may be very different than what is listed above.
If you are looking to get relief from a herniated disc, neck pain, or back pain related to an auto accident or sports injury, then contact Dr. Adam Elsey, a chiropractor in Florissant and Hazelwood, Missouri. Dr. Adam Elsey is experienced with treating many types of car related injuries and musculoskeletal pain. Call Dr. Elsey at (314) 731-4201
