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 ✅What it is

A cervical pinched nerve happens when one of the nerves in your neck
(cervical spine) is compressed or irritated. This can be due to:

Herniated disc

Bone spurs (arthritis/degeneration)

Bulging disc

Muscle tightness or poor posture

Injury or trauma

 Symptoms

Depending on which nerve root is affected, you might feel:

Neck pain (sharp, burning, or aching)

Radiating pain into the shoulder, arm, or hand

Numbness or tingling in the arm or fingers

Weakness in certain muscles of the arm/hand

Pain that worsens with neck movements (looking up, turning, or tilting)

 Self-care & Relief

Rest & posture correction (avoid looking down at phone/computer for
long periods)

Heat packs to relax muscles

Gentle stretching for shoulders

Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory meds (ibuprofen, naproxen – if safe for you)

Supportive pillow while sleeping

 When to See acupuncturist

Seek medical care if you experience:

Severe or worsening pain

Weakness in your arm/hand

Loss of coordination or balance

Loss of bladder or bowel control (rare but serious sign of spinal cord
involvement)

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 Quick way to remember

C5 → Shoulder (deltoid)

C6 → Thumb (think “six-shooter gun & thumb up”)

C7 → Middle finger (lucky 7, middle)

C8 → Little finger (last nerve, last finger)

T1 → Hand muscles (fine control)