Cervical Lateral Stenosis & Trapped Nerve Treatment

What Is Cervical Lateral Stenosis?

The nerves that supply the shoulders, arms and hands originate from nerve roots in the cervical spine.

These nerve roots leave the spine through small openings between neighbouring vertebrae called intervertebral foramina.

Cervical lateral stenosis, often called cervical foraminal stenosis, describes narrowing of one or more of these openings.

The presence of narrowing does not necessarily cause symptoms. Problems are more likely to occur when a nerve root becomes irritated or compressed and its normal function is affected.

What Causes Cervical Foraminal Stenosis?

The space available for a cervical nerve can become narrower for several reasons.

These may include:

• Changes associated with cervical osteoarthritis or spondylosis
• Changes in the facet joints
• Bone spur or osteophyte formation
• Loss of disc height
• A bulging or herniated cervical disc
• A combination of age-related changes

These changes often develop gradually and are increasingly common with age.

Importantly, degenerative changes on an X-ray or MRI are not automatically a diagnosis. They need to correspond with the person’s symptoms and examination findings before they can reasonably be considered clinically significant.

What Does a Trapped Nerve in the Neck Feel Like?

When narrowing affects a cervical nerve root, symptoms can extend beyond the neck.

Depending on which nerve is involved, symptoms may include:

• Neck pain or stiffness
• Pain around the shoulder or shoulder blade
• Pain travelling down the arm
• Tingling or pins and needles
• Numbness or altered sensation in the arm, hand or fingers
• Weakness in particular muscles of the arm or hand

The precise pattern varies according to which nerve root is affected and how severely it is involved.

What Is Cervical Radiculopathy?

Cervical radiculopathy describes symptoms caused by dysfunction or irritation of a nerve root in the neck.

It commonly produces pain travelling into the arm and may also cause tingling, numbness, altered sensation or weakness.

Foraminal stenosis is one possible cause of cervical radiculopathy. A cervical disc herniation can produce a similar clinical picture.

Not every pain travelling into the shoulder or arm is caused by a trapped nerve. Shoulder problems, muscular pain and irritation of peripheral nerves elsewhere in the arm can sometimes produce similar symptoms.

Is Cervical Lateral Stenosis the Same as a Cervical Disc Herniation?

No, although both can affect a cervical nerve root and produce similar symptoms.

A disc herniation involves displacement of disc material that may irritate or compress a nearby nerve root.

Cervical foraminal stenosis describes narrowing of the opening through which the nerve leaves the spine. This may result from several changes, including osteophytes, facet joint changes, loss of disc height or a disc bulge.

In some people, more than one of these changes is present.

Read more about cervical disc injuries →

How Do We Assess Cervical Lateral Stenosis?

Your assessment starts with a detailed history of your symptoms, including where the pain travels, whether you experience tingling or numbness and whether you have noticed any weakness or loss of function.

The examination may include:

• Neck movement
• Strength testing
• Reflexes
• Sensation
• Neurological examination
• Clinical tests that may reproduce or relieve nerve-related symptoms
• Assessment of the shoulder and peripheral nerves where appropriate

The pattern of these findings can help determine whether a particular cervical nerve root may be involved and whether further investigation is appropriate.

Do I Need an X-Ray or MRI?

Not everyone with neck or arm pain requires imaging.

X-rays can provide information about the bones, alignment, disc-space narrowing and degenerative changes in the cervical spine.

MRI provides more detailed information about the spinal nerves, discs, spinal cord and the amount of space available around these structures.

Imaging may be particularly useful when neurological symptoms are significant or progressing, the diagnosis remains uncertain, spinal cord involvement is suspected or the result is likely to change management.

Because narrowing and degenerative changes can also be present in people without symptoms, imaging findings should always be interpreted alongside the clinical examination.

Can Chiropractic Care Help Cervical Radiculopathy?

Many people with cervical radiculopathy can initially be managed conservatively, provided there are no findings suggesting that urgent medical or surgical assessment is required.

Depending on the individual assessment, conservative care may include exercise, rehabilitation, advice about activity and appropriate manual therapy.

Research suggests that manual therapy can improve pain and disability in some people with cervical radiculopathy, particularly as part of a broader conservative management approach.

However, treatment cannot simply remove an osteophyte or reverse structural narrowing. The aim is to help manage symptoms, improve movement and function and support recovery where conservative care is appropriate.

Does Treatment Always Involve Neck Manipulation?

No. The presence of cervical stenosis does not automatically mean that neck manipulation should be performed.

Depending on the clinical findings, treatment may include:

• Joint mobilisation or appropriate manual therapy
• Exercise and rehabilitation
• Advice about movement and activity
• Soft tissue treatment where appropriate
• Strategies aimed at managing nerve-related symptoms
• Referral or further investigation where required

The treatment plan should reflect the diagnosis, neurological findings, individual circumstances, patient preference and response to care.

Can Cervical Foraminal Stenosis Improve Without Surgery?

Yes. The presence of structural narrowing does not automatically mean that surgery is required.

Many people with stable cervical radiculopathy can initially be managed conservatively. Symptoms can improve even though age-related changes remain visible on imaging.

Surgical assessment becomes more important when pain remains severe or disabling despite appropriate conservative management or when neurological function is deteriorating.

What Is the Difference Between Lateral and Central Cervical Stenosis?

This distinction is particularly important.

Lateral or foraminal stenosis narrows the space around a spinal nerve root. Symptoms typically affect an arm or hand and may include pain, tingling, numbness or weakness.

Central cervical stenosis narrows the spinal canal itself and can potentially affect the spinal cord.

If spinal cord compression causes neurological dysfunction, this is known as cervical myelopathy.

Myelopathy can produce more widespread symptoms than an isolated trapped nerve and requires appropriate medical investigation.

What Are the Warning Signs of Cervical Myelopathy?

Possible warning signs that the spinal cord rather than just an individual nerve root may be affected include:

• Increasing clumsiness or loss of dexterity in the hands
• Difficulty with buttons, handwriting or other fine hand movements
• Weakness affecting more than one limb
• Changes in walking or balance
• Stiffness or unusual heaviness in the legs
• Unusually brisk reflexes
• New bladder or bowel disturbance associated with neurological symptoms

If the history or examination suggests spinal cord involvement, the priority is appropriate investigation or referral rather than routine conservative treatment.

When Should Neck and Arm Symptoms Be Assessed Urgently?

Most cases of neck and arm pain are not medical emergencies. However, some neurological changes require prompt assessment.

Seek urgent medical advice if you develop:

• Rapidly increasing weakness in an arm or hand
• Weakness or altered sensation affecting both arms or the legs
• New difficulty walking or significant balance problems
• Increasing clumsiness or loss of coordination in the hands
• New bladder or bowel disturbance associated with neurological symptoms
• Severe symptoms following significant trauma
• Neck pain accompanied by severe illness or other concerning systemic symptoms

These symptoms do not necessarily mean that spinal cord compression is present, but they require appropriate medical assessment.

Other Problems That Can Cause Similar Symptoms

Neck, shoulder and arm symptoms are not always caused by foraminal stenosis.

Other possible explanations include cervical disc herniation, facet-related neck pain, shoulder conditions and irritation or compression of peripheral nerves elsewhere in the arm.

This is why the diagnosis should be based on the overall pattern of symptoms, neurological examination and any relevant imaging rather than on one scan finding alone.

Cervical Stenosis Treatment Near You

Milton Keynes

Our Milton Keynes clinic provides assessment, chiropractic treatment and rehabilitation for neck pain and nerve-related arm symptoms, with on-site X-ray facilities where clinically indicated.

Northampton

Our Northampton clinic assesses neck pain, arm symptoms and suspected cervical nerve problems, with chiropractic care, rehabilitation and on-site X-ray facilities where appropriate.

Aylesbury

Our Aylesbury clinic provides assessment and treatment for neck pain and nerve-related arm symptoms, with on-site X-ray facilities where clinically indicated.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cervical Lateral Stenosis

Is cervical foraminal stenosis the same as a trapped nerve?

Foraminal stenosis describes narrowing of the opening around a spinal nerve. If that narrowing irritates or compresses the nerve and causes neurological symptoms, patients may describe this as a “trapped nerve”. However, narrowing on a scan does not necessarily mean that a nerve is symptomatic.

Can cervical stenosis cause tingling in my fingers?

Yes. If a cervical nerve root is affected, symptoms can extend into the arm, hand or fingers and may include tingling, numbness or altered sensation.

Can cervical stenosis cause weakness?

Yes. Significant nerve-root involvement can affect muscle strength. New or progressive weakness requires careful assessment.

Does cervical stenosis always get worse?

No. Imaging changes and symptoms do not necessarily progress together. Some people have substantial narrowing with few symptoms, while others experience symptomatic episodes that improve with conservative management.

Will I need surgery?

Not necessarily. Many people with cervical radiculopathy are initially managed conservatively. Surgical assessment becomes more important when symptoms remain severe or disabling or neurological function is deteriorating.

Can chiropractic treatment remove cervical stenosis?

No. Chiropractic treatment cannot remove an osteophyte or physically reverse structural narrowing. Where conservative care is appropriate, treatment aims to help manage symptoms and improve movement and function rather than claiming to alter the underlying anatomy.

Start by Understanding What Is Causing Your Neck and Arm Symptoms

Neck pain, arm pain, tingling, numbness or weakness can have several possible causes. A careful assessment can help determine whether a cervical nerve root is involved and whether conservative treatment, rehabilitation or further investigation is appropriate.