This condition is an irritation or compression of one or more nerve
roots in the cervical spine. Because these nerves travel to the shoulders, arms and hands, an injury in the cervical spine can cause symptoms in these areas. Cervical radiculopathy may result from a variety of problems with the bones and tissues of the cervical spinal column.
Causes
-Herniated Disc
One common cause is a herniated disc. A herniated disc is a rupture
in the fibrous outer wall of a vertebral disc, which allows the soft
nucleus of the disc to bulge outward. This bulge can press harmfully
against a nerve root.
-Degenerative Disc Disease
Another common cause of nerve root injury is degenerative disc disease. It occurs when a spinal disc weakens, allowing vertebral bones above and below the disc to shift out of position. The bones can touch, pinching nearby nerve roots.
-Spinal Stenosis
When bones, discs or joints of the spine degenerate, bony spurs may
form and push into the spinal canal or foramen space. This is called
spinal stenosis, and it can also create harmful pressure against the
spinal cord or nerve roots.
Symptoms
Nerve root injury in the cervical spine most commonly involves one of
the three lowest levels of cervical vertebrae, which are called C5, C6
and C7. Symptoms may include pain, weakness, numbness and
tingling, and may vary depending on the level of the injury. For
example, an injury at the C5 level may cause pain and weakness in the
shoulder and upper arm. An injury at the next vertebral level (the C6
vertebrae) may cause pain in the shoulder and the arm, and it may
also cause weakness in the arm. And finally, an injury at the lowest
level (the C7 vertebrae) may cause pain from the neck all the way
down to the hand, along with weakness in the arm and hand.
