Many people experience neck pain in combination with arm pain. In most of these cases, pain in the arm does not indicate a problem. Often, the pain and other symptoms are due to an injury to the cervical spinal nerves, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
Pain that originates in the neck and radiates into the arm is referred to as cervical radiculopathy. Other symptoms, such as numbness and tingling or muscle weakness, may accompany the pain. Different possible causes of cervical radiculopathy exist.
Bone Spurs
Bone spurs, or osteophytes, are smooth, bony projections that grow along the edges of joints in response to stress. According to MayoClinic.com, bone spurs are not painful by themselves, but they can put pressure on nearby nerves and other soft tissues. When this occurs, pain may be felt in the neck and along the path of the nerve down into the arm and fingers.
Bone spurs can also cause numbness and tingling or other neurological symptoms. Most bone spurs that cause symptoms will respond to rest and conservative treatment, but if symptoms persist, surgery may be required.
Herniated Disc
The spinal column is made up of bones called vertebrae and soft spongy discs that separate them. These discs are composed of two parts. There is a tough fibrous outer layer called the annulus, which contains the soft, jelly-like center, called the nucleus. As the disc ages or is broken down by injury and poor posture, the annulus cracks and allows the nucleus to herniate out and put pressure on the delicate spinal nerve roots. According to Spine Universe, a herniated disc in the neck can cause pain locally and down into the arm.
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the canal or tunnel in the spine where the spinal cord resides. Spinal stenosis can be caused by a variety of different conditions and may even be a congenital defect. It most often occurs when the cervical discs break down or the joint surfaces themselves degenerate in a process called spondylosis.
When spinal stenosis progresses to an advanced degree, nerve roots or the spinal cord may become compressed and cause pain in the neck and arm, numbness and tingling or muscle weakness, according to New York University Medical Center.
Tumor
One possible cause of neck pain that extends into the arm is a cervical spine tumor. Many different types of tumors can grow in the bone or in the nervous tissue. According to the Cervical Spine Research Society, cervical spine tumors usually cause neck pain first. This pain can progress into the arm and eventually cause a variety of other neurological symptoms as the tumor mass grows.
