Tingling in the right arm and hand

by Bob
(Columbia,SC)

Tingling in the right arm and hand


I had surgery about 10 years ago for a herniated disc in my neck, I think C-5. I am very active, 58 years old, a high school volleyball coach that hits a lot of balls pretty hard almost every day, right- handed.

About two weeks ago I started getting a tingling sensation in. My right arm and hand. It is fairly constant, but not painful at all.

Is this probably associated with my operation or just a pinched nerve or overuse?





Hello Bob,
It sounds like you had a successful operation, good, that's not always the way it is. But now to try and avoid a second, I'm sure it was pretty traumatic. Complications of surgery ...

Don't say "just a pinched nerve"! That's what led you to surgery last time, it's serious, so take it seriously.

Necks don't like looking up if there's lower cervical degeneration, particularly at the Uncovertebral Joint Luschka which takes strain after old whiplash injuries.

So, in answer to your question, probably all three. Plus another possibility. Has the bundle of nerves to the arm been affected in the interscalene triangle ... usually by a first rib subluxation, or scalene muscle spasm.

This latter condition, known as a Thoracic outlet syndrome


With TOS typically you will get increased tingling in your arm if you raise it above your head, but with a disc injury raising your arm usually relieves the tingling. The so called Shoulder Abduction Relief sign.

Plus, a nerve root pattern tends to be highly specific, affecting say the thumb and index finger. However in TOS, because it affects not the root but a whole bundle of nerves, the distribution of tingling is usually more general. Where is your tingling situated?

I also use a test known as Adson's to make the differential, but it's a difficult and subjective test.

What you could do yourself is the test known as
Upper Limb Tension Test ... not difficult to do at home, but complex to interpret the results.

You may also have some of the symptoms of cervical stenosis.

In short, Bob, what's need is a good chiropractic examination so see if chiropractic neck treatment would help. These are symptoms every chiropractors sees on a daily basis.

Good luck, more X-rays and perhaps a scan may be necessary. Let us know in a month or two how you are getting on. Keep to this same thread please.

Find a good chiropractor may be your next step.

Go from Tingling in the right arm and hand to Chiropractic Tips …


Dr Barrie Lewis


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