tingling in left arm

I am a 29 year old female. I have disk disease in my lower back. Recently, I have been feeling a numb, tingling feeling in my left arm. It seems to only happen when I put my head back and to the left. The feeling starts in my armpit area and goes on the underside of my arm. About the inside elbow area it travels on the right side of my arm to the thumb. Could this be a new injury or maybe a pinched nerve? Thank you!

Hello Jen,
Disk degeneration is almost always related to old trauma, but folk with nasty curvatures are also more prone to it. Have you had a whiplash?

The fact that turning your head, and looking up refers to (probably) T1 dermatome in your neck certainly points to a nerve root impingement. Pain in the neck also?

However, the thumb is a quite different nerve root. That's a bit confusing.

I'd recommend some X-rays (including obliques) to evaluate your lower neck /upper thoracic spine.

You don't sleep on your tum? Click your neck yourself?

Start looking for a thorough conscientious chiro in your area.

Dr B