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Shoulder numbness

I've been having some shoulder pain and popping and cracking for a few months now, along with upper back pain and occasional finger numbness. The popping is generally when I lift my arm over my head. The front of my shoulder (where it meets the arm) is always sore, and I generally have pain under my shoulder blade. A x-ray of my neck showed mild C5-C6 neural foraminal stenosis, but they didn't look at my back. I went to a neurologist last week, and they checked my hands and said I seemed normal and didn't really need further testing, so I declined the EMG/NCT.

Last night, I felt it popping, then again, and shoulder and most of my hand and wrist went mostly numb. It's been about 10 hours, and I still have some numbness in the back of my shoulder (below the shoulder blade) and wrist. There's some tenderness in the back of my shoulder as well but no soreness in the front. It's uncomfortable to move my shoulder, but mostly doable. I get a little pain once I lift it over my head, but it's doable. If I put my elbow a little behind my back and bend my arm trying to reach up, I reach about a 90* angle (mid-back) while when I do this with my other arm, I can basically reach my neck. I did ice it last night.

Is it worth it to go to an urgent care, go back to the neurologist and request the EMG, or just keep icing?
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Avatar universal
Thank you so much! I went back to the neurologist yesterday, and the EMG/NCS confirmed a mild pinched nerve in my neck. My ortho said Monday that I have shoulder impingement. I also have de Quervain's in my wrist.

It seems like all of these are mild-moderate, but I'm constantly aware of the pain. Would multiple mild conditions affecting around the same area make things feel worse than they are?  
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351246 tn?1379682132
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi!
In all probability you have compression of C5 and C6 spinal nerve roots. This can be diagnosed either by an EMG/NCV or by a MRI. So, please go back to your neurologist for this. Also, you may benefit from physiotherapy, massage therapy, traction and spinal manipulation. So, please ask your doctor about this.  Hope this helps. Take care!

The medical advice given should not be considered a substitute for medical care provided by a doctor who can examine you. The advice may not be completely correct for you as the doctor cannot examine you and does not know your complete medical history. Hence this reply to your post should only be considered as a guiding line and you must consult your doctor at the earliest for your medical problem.
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