Donald Corenman, MD, DC
Moderator
Post count: 8656

You have some complaints listed and some conditions listed. Let us first discuss the complaints. Pins and needles in the right arm could be from a compressed nerve in the neck or from thoracic outlet syndrome. Coldness (greater than 1-2 deg C) can be from a condition called RSD or CRPS but that is very rare and most likely, you do not have that.

You note no complaints of pain in your neck or arm or what makes the symptoms worse and/or better. You note no complaints of weakness or of dexterity.

Let us work backwards from the stated conditions. Thoracic outlet syndrome is caused by compression of the nerves in the shoulder (brachial plexus) by the first rib, cervical ribs, the muscles in the side of the neck (scaleni) or the tendon of the pectorals minor. These symptoms would include numbness in the pinky side of the hand and worsening numbness with any overhead work. The hand could get cold when raised up but be of normal temperature when at your side.

The herniated disc at C4-5 would cause pain and numbness into the shoulder but not down the arm below the elbow. The muscle associated with the C5 nerve is the deltoid (lifting the arm up at the shoulder level).

The “blood blister” in the vertebral body of C4 is a new one for me. I would imagine that this individual means a hemangioma of the body of C4 but I cannot be sure about that. In general, hemangiomas of the vertebra are common and benign.

Dr. Corenman

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Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.