Neck and palm neurology

Borders Ref Help Toolkit
NHS Borders

Three Myths of Neck/ Arm Pain

​​“I need a plain x-ray to look for Cervical Spondylosis” EVERYONE gets cervical spondylosis as they get older – like grey hair. There is poor correlation between radiological ‘age-related’ changes and neck pain. Doing a plain cervical x-ray on someone with neck pain and telling them they have cervical spondylosis/arthritis/”wear and tear” may be harmful /reduce the effectiveness of physio. Plain X-ray only indicated if red flags.

“I need an MR Cervical Spine to manage this patient”
We often are asked for MR Cervical Spine to ‘show the cause’ of someone’s pain or because a physiotherapist has suggested it. MR C-spine is rarely helpful:
a) because usually it is muscular pain with radiation not radiculopathy;
b) cervical radiculopathy usually improves with conservative treatment;
c) neurosurgery is rarely offered/has little evidence base in this area. MR C-Spine is not available open access in NHS Borders . We request it mainly to look for spinal cord pathology.

“Nerve conduction studies may be helpful”
Usually neck and arm pain is not radicular. We do not arrange nerve conduction studies in patients with ulnar nerve sensory symptoms.
Carpal tunnel syndrome should be referred to Orthopaedics in the first instance.

 

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Who to refer, who not to refer, how to refer

 

Clinical Presentation Refer to Neurology? What does this usually turn out to be? What should I do instead then?
NECK PAIN ALONE NO Muscular pain Consider red flags (see below)   Conservative treatment with physiotherapy referral and analgesia.   Consider referral to Musculoskeletal Services or Chronic Pain Services.   Sensory symptoms mainly in the hand and forearm often don’t conform to textbook distributions are usually Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and/or Ulnar nerve irritation.   “NHS choices –Neck Pain” has useful links to neck exercise videos
NECK AND ARM PAIN -  NO DEFINITE NEUROLOGICAL SIGNS RARELY INDICATED Muscular pain Cervical Radiculopathy (rarely)  
NECK AND ARM PAIN NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS MAY OFTEN BE AVOIDED
  • Muscular pain combined with
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Ulnar Nerve Irritation
  • Non-specific sensory disturbance   Cervical Radiculopathy (rarely) Other causes rare– e.g. brachial neuritis
HAND PARAESTHESIA WITH OR WITHOUT PAIN

MAY OFTEN BE AVOIDED

 Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (often whole hand tingling) Trial of wrist splints at night for 3 months prior to Hand Clinic referral.
Ulnar Nerve Symptoms (4th and 5th fingers) Advise avoid pressure/prolonged flexion elbow. Rarely requires referral to Neurology, investigation or treatment –see neurodiagnosis.org
Other Consider Neurology referral

 

RED FLAGS include:

Systemic upset (weight loss, night sweats, fevers); Signs of spinal cord compression (e.g. Lhermitte’s phenomenon, gait disturbance, clumsy or weak hands, disturbance of sexual, bladder or bowel function); Significant preceding trauma or neck surgery; History of TB, HIV, cancer or inflammatory arthritis

 

Referrals should be completed via SCI Gateway

Resources and links

Neck Arm pain Neurology pathway

Editorial Information

Last reviewed: 13/03/2025

Next review date: 13/03/2027

Author(s): Dr David Simpson.

Author email(s): David.simpson@borders.scot.nhs.uk.