Pinched Nerve in Neck /Pressing Movements

[BillyBatts]

For the past month or so, I started to feel a dull pain in my right Trap muscle that worsened significantly when I performed any sort of pressing exercise (i.e., shoulder press, bench press, etc.). The day after I performed pressing exercises, the pain in my Trap increased and I felt numbness in the fingers in my right hand. Two days after pressing exercises, I suffered from no pain nor any tingling sensations. The next time I performed pressing exercises, however, the symptoms not only reappeared, but worsened.

Fortunately, I am able to do all other exercises. I can perform pull ups, chin ups, rows, curls, tricep presses, squats, etc without any symptoms or pain whatsoever. I guess, I'll do my workouts minus pressing exercises for a few weeks and see what happens. I am also thinking about going to a chiropractor. Any thoughts?

[Like It Or Not]

Just rest that area/muscle. I've had several of these, only thing that helps is to stop lifting if that area is affected. I also find that running/jogging seems to help my pinched nerve areas as well (in my neck/back areas)

[agsuper]

I would get it checked out by an Ortho or nerou. I went through something similar over a year ago. It started out as pain in my traps and I wound up with a pinched nerve and suffered muscle atrophy and numbness to my left arm and hand.

[MACHZ]

Originally Posted by agsuper

I would get it checked out by an Ortho or nerou. I went through something similar over a year ago. It started out as pain in my traps and I wound up with a pinched nerve and suffered muscle atrophy and numbness to my left arm and hand.

So what was the fix for you?

I have the same thing for the last couple of weeks but it's getting better. I still have a dull pain from time to time and numbness in my right thumb.

[agsuper]

Originally Posted by MACHZ

So what was the fix for you?

I have the same thing for the last couple of weeks but it's getting better. I still have a dull pain from time to time and numbness in my right thumb.

For me it was ultimately surgery (fusion c5-c7). It has worked for me so far but it is a last resort. The reason I say this is once the discs are fused it puts additional stress on the adjacent discs which may require another fusion years down the road. It is basically a crap shoot in regards to surgery. I went this route because of the atrophy.

[MACHZ]

Originally Posted by agsuper

For me it was ultimately surgery (fusion c5-c7). It has worked for me so far but it is a last resort. The reason I say this is once the discs are fused it puts additional stress on the adjacent discs which may require another fusion years down the road. It is basically a crap shoot in regards to surgery. I went this route because of the atrophy.

I hope I don't have to go that route, it's getting better and everything I have read leads me to think it was a pinch in the c6 as it seems that is related to the numb thumb. I think I will hit up a chiro first and hope for the best.

[BillyBatts]

Originally Posted by agsuper

I would get it checked out by an Ortho or nerou. I went through something similar over a year ago. It started out as pain in my traps and I wound up with a pinched nerve and suffered muscle atrophy and numbness to my left arm and hand.

If it doesn't heal in a few weeks, that's what I'll do.

It doesn't bother me at all unless I do bench or over head pressing.

Thanks.

[agsuper]

Originally Posted by BillyBatts

If it doesn't heal in a few weeks, that's what I'll do.

It doesn't bother me at all unless I do bench or over head pressing.

Thanks.

That is exactly what brought on my pain heavy MP and overhead tricep extensions. I pretty much eliminated any overhead movements from my training. Hope you get better.

[Most Muscular]

I had the same thing several years ago and eventually discovered it was a bone spur that was nicking a nerve. I tried to avoid surgery but had several bad relapses that caused not only severe pain and numbness but also severe loss of muscle strength and size.

Many people recommended chiropractor care, etc. but if it is a bone spur no amount of other care besides surgery can actually remove it. I feel now that if I would have had the surgery when the doctor recommended it the overall effects of it would have been less than what I went through.

If it doesn't go away soon see a doctor and ask to have an MRI done to confirm the cause. My doctor only wanted to throw pain pills at it for over a month before I demanded to find the cause of it instead of just trying to hide the pain.

nuff said...

[Fifty+]

I sympathise (sp.??) with your situation. Nerves rule. If it is a nerve problem and you agrivate it enough, it will shut you down! Period. I live with a two tier self induced neck injury. In high school I attempted a handstand on the rings and went up gracefully, then fell through just as gracefully, square on my head. Twenty years later I'm learning to squat and with stupidity as my guide, did a lot of rolling the barbell on my traps to find where it should go..at 3am I woke up unable to move my head off my left shoulder. I crushed the neucleas between my 4th and 5th disc in my neck. And I was lucky enough to forch a nerve in between the void I created. Life was f*****! To this day I experience numb ness in my right hand and arm. Bottom line. See a doc early and don't try to work through a nerve problem. Take care..

[BaldwinBoy]

Seriously. And be wary of ANYTHING that compresses the spine. I posted elsewhere about the dangers of standing calf raises and leg presses where hundreds of pounds is focused on your shoulder joints and spine. Very bad.

I find that hanging and lat pull downs are very therapeutic if I have back problems.

Originally Posted by BillyBatts

For the past month or so, I started to feel a dull pain in my right Trap muscle that worsened significantly when I performed any sort of pressing exercise (i.e., shoulder press, bench press, etc.). The day after I performed pressing exercises, the pain in my Trap increased and I felt numbness in the fingers in my right hand. Two days after pressing exercises, I suffered from no pain nor any tingling sensations. The next time I performed pressing exercises, however, the symptoms not only reappeared, but worsened.

Fortunately, I am able to do all other exercises. I can perform pull ups, chin ups, rows, curls, tricep presses, squats, etc without any symptoms or pain whatsoever. I guess, I'll do my workouts minus pressing exercises for a few weeks and see what happens. I am also thinking about going to a chiropractor. Any thoughts?

[yakabebe]

FWIW - I had precisely the same picture. But recurring.

So went to the quack got a scan and viola - a bulging disc at c/4/5.

Got me some weird-ass traction at the physio - where you lie on your back and this machine up near your head has its strap hook under your chin and then a timer kicks in that for about 20' periodically pulls, stretches and then releases the head.

Worked a charm.

That and a good systemic anti-inflammatory and real careful form on the exercies I could manage and an avoidance of those that I couldnt - ie anything that compressed the spine was out for about 2-3 weeks.

Since then..nada.

Good luck

[BillyBatts]

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I'm making an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon because it can become a serious condition if untreated. In fact, I' feel a tingling sensation in my fingers as I am typing this post. Rest and traction appear to be effective treatments.