A pinched nerve in the neck presents as pain in the neck that travels into the shoulder and down the arm. The cause of this pinched nerve is disc herniation in the neck which pushes on the nerve causing inflammation and irritation of the nerve and, thereby, pain down the arm. Patients often describe pain in the back of the neck, into the shoulder, and down the arm. Patients may have weakness in the arm or hand and sometimes numbness or tingling in the arm or hand.

Treatment for Pinched Nerves in the Neck

The injection therapy treatment of choice for a pinched nerve in the neck is an epidural steroid injection. This 10-minute, minimally invasive procedure uses a live X-ray to place an epidural needle into the epidural space. A steroid is injected into the epidural space to reduce inflammation, decrease pain, enhance function, improve sleep, and decrease the need for pain medication.