Upper back pain, radiates below elbow

  • Thread starter Thread starter sentoria
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sentoria

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hello all,

this is my story. two weeks ago i was carrying my bag with my laptop and a big hard cover book over my right shoulder. it felt kinda heavy but i thought "well, just 8 blocks to the garage". the next day I had back pain, which became horrible over the next 3 days. i treated it with icyhot patches and motrin. pain has subsided to just an annoyance but it has now moved down my right arm to my elbow and now below it causing my hand to not wanting to open properly or straighten properly and the muscle to feel cramped. it also causes my ring finger and pinky to lose strength....butterfingers, i have feelings in both fingers but i cannot write properly.

could this be the ulnar nerve? but starting from my upper back?

i am going to a licensed massage therapist tomorrow whom i have known for years. hope it helps, i need my right hand :( i have a karate competition

any ideas? thanks everyone!
 
Yes, this could be related to spinal nerve impingement at the cervical level. Each level of the cervical spine has an associated dermatome (area of the body that it travels to and in which symptoms are felt). My C6-C7 problems casued nerve pain down my left arm and into my index finger. My current C4-C5 problems cause pain into my bicep.

Not everyone who has these problems neeRAB surgery - sometimes physical therapy or epidural injections. can help. Only when all else has failed is spinal surgery the best option.

Most of the cervical neck stuff is discussed on the Spinal Cord Disorders board so you may want to pop over there as well.
 
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