NERVE NECK PAIN

When Life is a Pain in the Neck

We have all experienced a little twinge or acute nerve neck pain. Usually these happen suddenly and seem almost impossible to avoid, as it doesn’t seem to take much movement to create this awful sensation. Most times it is painful for only a short time, but sometimes the pain can last longer – and this is when neck nerve pain becomes a problem.

Symptoms of a pinched nerve in the neck (or elsewhere in the body) include tingling, numbness, and pain that feels sharp or even “electrical”. There might be a burning sensation and even weakness. When there is neck nerve pain, the tingling and pain can travel down the shoulder and into the arm.

What is a Pinched Nerve?

A “pinched nerve” happens when an increase in pressure on a nerve leads to irritation or damage to any nerve outside the brain or spinal cord. It can happen anywhere in the body but is very common in the neck.

Pressure on a nerve can irritate the nerve or its protective covering (called myelin). This interrupts its communication with the brain, causing numbness, pins and needles, and pain.

Neck pain can have many root causes, including:

When Do You Need to See a Spine Surgeon for Your Pain?

When a nerve is compressed for just a short amount of time, it will usually repair itself, however this can take weeks or months to completely feel better. If the nerve is compressed for a long time, permanent damage can occur.

If you are experiencing neck nerve pain, it’s important to see a doctor to find out exactly what the cause is. Sometimes it can be treated medically, but in other cases minimally invasive spine surgery is your best option to release the pressure on the nerve.