Usually, when something hurts, you don't have to look far to find the source of the pain. But an injury at the root of a nerve could result in pain at the end of the nerve, in the neck, shoulder, or arm, where sensation is felt. For example, an injury to the vertebrae or disks in your neck (the cervical spine) could result in pain, numbness or weakness in your shoulder, arm, wrist or hand. Quite simply, an injury to the cervical nerves can cause problems far away from the neck, because the nerves that extend out from between the cervical vertebrae provide sensation and trigger movement in these areas. When the nerves are pinched or damaged, this condition is called cervical radiculopathy (ra-dick-you-lop'-a-thee).

Causes of cervical disc herniation radiculopathy
Several conditions can put pressure on nerve roots in the neck. The most common causes for cervical radiculopathy are:

Herniated cervical disk. In this situation, the outer layer (annulus) of the disk cracks and the gel-like center (nucleus) breaks through. This causes the disk to protrude, putting pressure on the nerve that exits the spinal column at that point. A rupture, slip, or herniation all represent the same problem with the disc.
Spinal stenosis. Sometimes, arthritis and disc bulging can limit the space in the center of the vertebrae. This narrows the room around the spinal cord and can place pressure on the cord itself. The irritation of the spinal cord is called myelopathy (my-lop'-a-thee).
Degenerative disk disease. As we age, the water content in our discs may decrease causing the discs to be less of a cushion for the spinal vertebrae. Without sufficient cushioning, the vertebrae may begin to press against each other. This can cause grinding neck pain, shooting arm pain, or gradual loss of strength and sensation. Degeneration often forms bone spurs as a part of this process.

Diagnosis and treatment
Your physician will give you a careful examination and ask about your symptom history. You may be asked to tilt and rotate your neck to reproduce the pain symptoms in either the neck or arms. An X-ray will usually show degenerative disk problems and bone spurs, but gives little information about the spinal cord or nerve roots. Sometimes your physician may request an MRI (magnetic resonance image) or a CT scan (computed tomography) using a colored dye to outline the nerves. Initial treatment is usually conservative and aims to reduce the pain by easing the pressure on the nerves. The treatment typically consists of three parts: rest, medication and physical therapy.

Rest. You may have to take it easy for a few days or wear a soft cervical collar to limit motion and relieve irritation on the nerves.
Medication. Your doctor may prescribe a non-narcotic pain medicine and anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve any swelling.
Physical therapy. After muscle spasms subside, your spinal surgeon may prescribe a cervical traction device or other types of physical therapy such as heat or cold therapies, electrical stimulation, or isometric and stretching exercises.

If conservative treatment doesn’t relieve your pain over the course of 6 to 12 weeks, surgery may be an option. The surgical procedure will depend on the underlying condition. Your spinal surgeon will discuss the options with you. In most cases, surgery not only relieves the pain, but also improves functioning and movement of the affected areas.