For the C6 nerve root to be affected, there must be something going on in between C5 and C6 vertebrae (bones). AkA: a C5-C6 disc herniation or C5-C6 disc bulge
The C6 nerve root has a motor, sensory and reflex component. This means that they control your muscles, your sensations and your reflexes. If there is a herniation or a bulge at this level, it can result in weakness, numbness and tingling as well as pain. Lets look at these 3 components for the C6 nerve root, the most common location for a disc herniation.
What muscles are affected? If the C6 nerve root is affected it can affects mainly the biceps and wrist extensor muscles. You may have difficulty bending your arm at the elbow. Picking up a bag of groceries may be difficult. Activities that involve the shoulder joint would also be difficult. For example moving the arm away from the body at the shoulder jt (abduction) or toward the body (adduction). These may be the first muscles that come to mind, but you would be surprised at all the muscles that the C6 nerve root innervates.
This list includes the 4 muscles that make up the rotator cuff group and many muscles of the distal arm:
- Teres Major
- Brachioradialis
- Deltoid (shoulder muscle)
- Supinator
- Subscapularis (a rotator cuff muscle)
- Teres Minor(a rotator cuff muscle)
- Infraspinatus (a rotator cuff muscle)
- Supraspinatus (a rotator cuff muscle)
- Coracobrachialis
- Brachialis
- Subclavius
- Serratus Anterior
- Pectoralis Major
- Extensor Muscles (image the position of your arms and wrists when riding a motorcycle)- includes: Extensor carpi radialis brevis, Extensor carpi radialis longus, and Extensor pollicis brevis
- Pronator Teres
- Flexor carpi radialis
- Latissimus dorsi
You can have pain along the lower arm into the thumb and index finger. This can be described as “pins and needles”, numbness and even a tingling sensation.
Finally, the reflex that is affected is called the pronator reflex. When your Doctor checks it, it may be diminished or absent on that side. The C6 nerve is the most common nerve that is affected when someone has a disc herniation.A herniated disc in the neck is often one cause for neck pain and arm pain. Often times, patients seek treatment from thier primay care physician, chiropractor, or osteopath. Studies have shown that it commonly develops in patients between ages 30 to 50. Where does a disc herniation come from, you may find yourself asking? . One common way may be a trauma or an injury. Symptoms often include neck pain, neck stiffness, numbness and tingling and arm/hand pain. As you can see from the list of muscles that are innervated by C6 nerve root- nerve roots play an all encompassing role in the function of your body and well being.
Image Source:
London Health Sciences CenterAdditional Reading Resources: - Understanding A Disc Problem with a Jelly Donut: Herniated Disc or Slipped Disc?
- Neck Pain resulting from a C5, C6, C7, or C8 Radiculopathy
- Severe Neck Pain From a Herniated Disc: What are Your Treatment Options?
- DID YOU KNOW… Hand And Arm Pain can be coming from your neck!
- What is the Best Pillow for a Pinched Nerve in the Neck?
This is good information and great explanation of C6 disc herniation.
My husband and I both get stiffness in our necks and we both crack our necks for relief which we know is really not a good idea at all. We also have lower back pain at times and have found that we really like the Topricin pain cream. It is natural and works on sore and achy muscles and inflammation! Thanks for the info here, maybe this will help others too!
Good review of the muscles that are innervated by C6 roots, as clinicians sometimes we get caught up testing the most common muscle groups, but begin to overlook some of the other groups that could be affected as well. As a chiropractor, I see people with this problem on a fairly frequent basis, so it is always good to stay fresh and review the information frequently to insure the best care for my patients. Thanks for the good article.
SmilingGreenMom- Thank you for reading the Neck Pain Support Blog and thank your for your comment. You say “we both crack our necks for relief which we know is really not a good idea at all.”- You are correct when you say that this is not a good idea at all!. This can create hypermobility in the neck- too much movement. Each time you are self adjusting your neck, you may be stretching the ligaments in your neck. These ligaments support and stabilize your neck. – NJ
Dr Quigley- thank you for your comment. Its amazing all the muscles that C6 innervates, either directly or indirectly. C6 is the most common disc to herniat in the neck. – NJ
Thanks Miya- the C6 innervates so many muscles that each have their own function. Also, each nerve root has a sensory, motor and reflex component. So looking at a disc herniation in the neck involves testing many factors- NJ http://www.neckpainsupport.com
After reviewing symptom on my shoulder, arm, lower arm and tumb and index finger, I believe that I suffer C6 problem since Dec 17 2009. –> What is the alternatives to reliefe?
Dear Ono- thank you for your comment. Alternatives to pain relief of a C6 Problem- well first have you have an MRI to verify this. Go to your health care provider and talk to them about your pain. An examination that includes range of motion, orthopedic and neurological finding is going to be important.
Some treatment for this includes cervical traction, using a cervical support neck pillow, and non surgical spinal decompression.
Here are some additional reading that you can do on our blog to get more information regarding pain relief.
True Neck Traction with the Pronex Pneumatic Cervical Traction Unit
http://www.neckpainsupport.com/2008/09/true-neck-tract.html
Neck Pain resulting from a C5, C6, C7, or C8 Radiculopathy
http://www.neckpainsupport.com/2008/11/neck-pain-resul.html
Severe Neck Pain From a Herniated Disc: What are Your Treatment Options?
http://www.neckpainsupport.com/2008/11/severe-neck-pain-from-a-herniated-disc-what-are-your-treatment-options.html
– NJ
IN MY MRI SCAN REPORT;INDIVIDUAL CERVICAL SPINES APPEAR NORMAL.
MILD POSTEROLATERAL DISCBULGE IVD BETWEEN C5 C6& C6 C7 INCREASE AT C6 C7LEVEL. THECAL SAC INDENTATION.
2D MYELOGRAM NORMAL. NO CORD COMPRESSION..
MY DOCTOR ADVICE TO GET OPERATED.
PLEASE GUIDE ME, AND TELL ME IS THERE ANY OTHER WAY TO HEAL.
THANKYOU
What signs and symptoms are you currently experiencing? Is it affecting your activities of daily living?
What treatments have you tried for this? I often say, surgery should be your last option, after you have tried everything else.
Have you tried a home traction protocol (see link below)?
Also, there are other treatments for cervical disc herniation such as non surgical spinal decompression that may be of benefit to you. Not everyone is a candidate for this treatment- so an evaluation and examination is going to be important.
Further Reading Resources:
http://www.arc4life.com/site/615058/page/1616235
http://www.neckpainsupport.com/2009/02/understanding-your-disc-like-a-jelly-donut-herniated-disc-or-slipped-disc.html
“>http://www.neckpainsupport.com/2008/11/severe-neck-pain-from-a-herniated-disc-what-are-your-treatment-options.html
Hope this helps you out.
– NJ
I was recently in a bad acident. My nuero said their is no nerv damage after a emg ncs test and cannot explain why i am in so much pain. I have been labled whith soft tissue injuries and post concussion syndrom. I have sever weakness in my left arm, left shoulder hurts and clicks some when i move it, left upper arm has a sore tender spot, back of lfet arm burns from arm pit down to thum and index finger, occisonionally thumb and index finger become painfull, left hand tingles some, left pinky occasionaly goes nunmb.
Mri summry of neck c4-c5 degenerative bulging disc with osseous denerative changes.
c6-c7 mildly bulging disk. which slightly compresses on the anterior thecal sac and does not closely approxiamate the spinal cord.
also in the mri reading it talks about signifficancanant compession on the anterior thecal sac closely approximating but iminging upon the spinal cord most pronounouced post laerolaterally right greater than left with slight encraochment on the neural canals at c4-c5.
Any light any body can shed would be helpful thank you.
Lifestyle modification is great role for this matter to avoid strange things that caused by back and neck pain.
i have c5-c6 neck disc problem. but my midback and shoulders are the worst parts that hurts. I also have pain at my front and back ribs. I was wondering these ribs pain can be related to my neck issue. When I asked my doctors to send me to the chiropractor they don’t recommend it. They said chiropractors can give worst damage to my discs.
Cervical realignment and appropriate traction can do wonders for people who have had disc herniation of the cervical spine. This includes people who are post-surgery.
There are many who end up with a herniation in the neck without having received any trauma, and the root cause is an anterior head carriage.
It is always my fear that those with legitimate disc herniations end up receiving surgery ONLY, and end up in a similar or worse situation shortly after.
Great informative post. Thanks.