Neck
Neck pain and tingling hands
A stiff neck, pins and needles down the arm, hands that tingle on a long ride.
Photograph: kaboompics.com, Pexels
In one paragraph
Neck pain with pins and needles, numbness or tingling down the arm and into the hand often comes from an irritated nerve root in the neck (cervical radiculopathy) or from stiff joints and tight muscles at the base of the neck. Physiotherapy assesses which it is and treats the neck, not just the hand.
What you may notice
- 01
Tingling or numbness in the fingers, worse with long hours at a desk, on a bike or looking down at a phone.
- 02
The neck will not turn fully to one side, or turning brings the arm symptoms on.
- 03
A weaker grip, or dropping things.
- 04
An ache across the top of the shoulder blade that no massage settles for long.
The first visit
What is looked at
The assessment tests neck range, nerve tension, reflexes and strength in the arm and hand, and checks the wrist, because carpal tunnel and a neck problem can produce similar tingling.
Treatment
What is done
Mobilisation of the neck and upper back, techniques that give the nerve room, posture and workstation changes that stop the daily irritation, and exercises to build the deep neck muscles that hold the head up without strain.
See a doctor first if
See a doctor urgently if both hands or the legs are affected, if you have trouble walking or with bladder control, or if the weakness is getting worse quickly.
The range in question
The textbook full range for a healthy joint, the figure the assessment measures you against.
A patient wrote
Dr Brijesh is a true healer. I could not ride my motorbike more than 5km due to tingling in my hands. Now i am back to nonstop 12 hour rides. However, his treatment needs 4 sessions for the true build up.
Questions
Do I need an MRI first?
Not usually. The assessment shows whether the nerve is involved and how badly; imaging is asked for when weakness is marked or the picture does not fit.
Can I keep riding or working at a desk?
Usually yes, with changes. A patient wrote on Google that he could not ride his motorbike more than 5 km with tingling hands and is now back to 12-hour rides; the plan adjusts what you do while the neck settles.
Also treated
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