Neurosurgery deals with two areas — the brain and the spine. In this video Prof. Dr. A. F. M. Momtazul Haque answers a common question: can neck pain make the hands go numb?
Causes of neck pain by age
- Young people with severe neck pain: look for trauma (injury), a tumor, or an infection such as tuberculosis (TB).
- Simple neck pain: muscle spasm, staying in one position for a long time, or disc-related (discogenic) pain.
- Middle age: disc degeneration — cervical spondylosis or disc prolapse.
- Older age: degenerative spine disease, where the bones, joints and discs wear down.
When to see a specialist
If you have had neck pain for a long time and are taking medicine, exercising or having physiotherapy but not improving, see a specialist to find the cause. The two main tools are X-ray and MRI; MRI is now available in every district and divisional city of Bangladesh.
Yes — neck problems can numb the hands
Whatever is causing the neck pain — a disc prolapse, an infection or a tumor — can slowly increase pressure on the spinal cord. Then both hands and legs, only the hands, or only the legs may become numb or weak. Warning signs include:
- Difficulty holding things or writing
- Trouble doing up buttons or combing your hair
- Numbness, or the hands gradually losing strength
If this happens, the nerves to your hands are not working properly. See a specialist and have an MRI. If pressure is found and removed, the problem is often completely reversible. With any neurological deficit such as hand weakness, an MRI is a must.
This article is for general awareness only; it is not a substitute for direct medical advice.
