Acupuncture for neck & nerve pain
When a nerve root in the neck gets pinched, the pain travels down into the shoulder, the arm, the hand. We work on the compression and on the signal it sends.
Cervical radiculopathy happens when a nerve root in the neck is compressed or irritated, often by a disc or arthritic narrowing, sending pain, numbness or weakness down into the shoulder, arm or hand.
The symptom and the source often sit far apart, so a careful assessment matters. We treat the neck where the nerve is pinched, and the arm where you feel it.
Symptoms we treat
If any of these sound like what you're dealing with, acupuncture is worth a conversation. This list isn't a diagnosis; your first visit is where we sort that out.
Why acupuncture works here
We work three layers at once: local, segmental, and central, chosen for what your body needs.
From first visit to plan
Everyone moves through the same unhurried four steps, and the first visit includes a consultation.
The clinical picture
Cervical radiculopathy is a condition caused by compression or irritation of a nerve root in the cervical spine (neck region), resulting in pain, numbness, or weakness that radiates from the neck into the shoulder, arm, or hand. The cervical spine comprises seven vertebrae (C1-C7) with intervertebral discs in between. The cervical nerve roots exit the spinal cord between each vertebra and form the cervical and brachial plexuses, which provide motor and sensory innervation to the upper extremities.
Cervical radiculopathy typically occurs due to:
- Herniated Disc: When the intervertebral disc's nucleus pulposus protrudes and compresses a nerve root.
- Degenerative Changes: Osteoarthritis or degenerative disc disease can cause bone spurs (osteophytes) or narrowing of the intervertebral foramina, leading to nerve compression.
- Spinal Stenosis: Narrowing of the spinal canal, often due to age-related changes, which compresses the nerve roots.
- Muscular tension and/or hypertrophy: overworked and knotted muscle fibers may compress the nerve at different locations, leading to neuropathic symptoms.
Compression of the nerve root impairs normal nerve function, causing the following major symptoms:
- Pain: Radiating from the neck down into the arm, often following a dermatomal pattern based on the affected nerve root.
- Numbness and Tingling: Sensory disturbances in specific areas of the upper limb.
- Muscle Weakness: Due to disruption in motor signals, leading to weakness in specific muscle groups innervated by the affected nerve root.
Diagnosis is typically confirmed through clinical examination, imaging (MRI or CT), and sometimes electromyography (EMG) to assess nerve function. Treatment from Medical Doctors often includes anti-inflammatory medications, and sometimes corticosteroid injections or surgery if symptoms persist.
Traditional Korean Medicine treatment of cervical radiculopathy consists in both dealing with the locally affected areas and resolving the anatomical issue that is the source of the problems, as well as improving the general healing capacity of the patient. Acupuncture will be done in order to release any tension and knots in the affected areas, improve circulation, and support the strength-loading capacity of the muscles. This will help the patient mechanically sustain themselves throughout their daily activities. Herbal medicine might also be prescribed to speed up the healing process, and provide the body with the nourishment required.
頸 neck
Read gyeong in Korean. Hanja are learned meaning first, then sound, so this one is 목 경.