These include physical therapy, better posture, or pain-reducing over-the-counter medication to reach total spine wellness. For major cases, C6-C7 surgery becomes a necessary course of action and injections or several surgical procedures can be conducted.
Both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications are used to treat pain stemming from C6-C7. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, tramadol, and/or corticosteroids are a few examples of pain-relieving medications that may be used.
Your illness will determine how long you need to spend in the hospital, however many don't need an overnight stay. You can usually resume light activities two weeks after the injury, and it takes around six weeks to fully heal.
A patient with C6 radiculopathy usually feels pain or numbness from the neck to radial side of the biceps, forearm, the dorsal web space of the hand between the thumb and index finger, and to the tips of those fingers.
Pinched Nerve Pain is Usually Short-Lived
In most cases, symptoms improve and nerve function resumes to normal within 6 to 12 weeks of conservative treatment. Conservative treatment options include physical therapy, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen.
When a C6-C7 herniated disc occurs and the C6-C7 nerve root is irritated, the symptoms usually include neck pain and pain in the arms, weakness in the hands and weakness in the arms, shoulder pain, chest pains, uncontrollable sweating, headaches, and possibly more.
It has been reported that cervical radiculopathy may occur along with arm pain in 99% of patients, sensory changes in 85%, and neck pain in 80% of cases [9]. In C5–C6 radiculopathy, the pain usually radiates to the upper trapezoidal area, the deltoid region, and the lateral portion of the arm [10, 11].
Williams recommends the use of a cervical pillow to reduce pain while sleeping. Sleeping on your back: This is the optimal sleeping position as it is the easiest to properly brace your head and position your neck.
Cervical nerve 6 controls the extensor muscles of your wrist and is involved in the control of your biceps. C6 provides sensation to the thumb side of your forearm and hand.
C6 sensation:
includes thumb side of lower forearm. thumb (radial nerve) first finger (median nerve)
Injuries to this area of the spinal cord can result in loss of sensation or function of everything in the body from the top of the ribcage on down, including all four extremities.
The compression of the nerve roots can happen for various reasons. In the younger population, this is usually a result of cervical disc herniations due to trauma. In other more chronic cases and older individuals cervical radiculopathy happens because of chronic arthritis and desiccation or collapse of a cervical disc.
Cervical Radiculopathy Causes and Risk Factors
Damage can occur as a result of pressure from material from a ruptured disc, degenerative changes in bones, arthritis, or other injuries that put pressure on the nerve roots.
Each case is different and will depend on important patient/condition variables such as patient age and overall health, condition severity, and causation, common symptoms of C5-C6 disc issues is a dull ache, or a sharp pain, that is most intensely felt in the back of the neck.
Someone seeking traditional medical treatment for C5-C6 disc bulging is often looking to remedy the pain and discomfort disrupting their daily life. This treatment will likely involve being prescribed medication such as steroids for inflammation, injections, physical therapy, disc surgery, or spinal-fusion surgery.
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgery involves removing the C5-C6 intervertebral disc to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or C6 nerve root. The disc is replaced by an implant or bone graft, allowing biological fusion of the adjacent C5 and C6 vertebrae.
Due to its high load-bearing function, the C5-C6 motion segment is frequently affected by poor posture, degeneration, disc herniation, radicular pain, and trauma.
While treating a pinched nerve, it is also important not to overuse the nerve. Nerve damage can be made worse by overuse. A person with a pinched nerve should avoid any movements that irritate the nerve. They should also try to sleep in a position that relieves the pressure on the nerve.
A massage will relax the affected muscles and take some of the pressure off the nerve, making it a valuable addition to your recovery plan. Of course, you'll want to get your doctor's approval before you consider a massage (or any other treatment) for pinched nerve pain relief.