Possible Pinched nerve and pec atrophy

Answer 1

 you both sound the same as me pec and tricep on right side. the neurologist said mri and his test to be c7 nerve impingement and recommended surgery...off to the neuro surgeon I go. I to am weightlifter, 43, a few neck traumas over past 20 yrs.

Answer 2

I posted this on allexperts.com, too, but adding here so that more people might benefit.  12-16-2010:

I have almost this exact problem but on the left side--four months ago I went to a chiropractor & felt a twinge in my upper back & pec, but I didn't have the excruciating pain that you have. I discovered I had zero strength in my left pectoral and left tricep & thought he pulled some muscles. Two months later I first noticed severe atrophy in the middle of my left pec & went to a doc who ordered a neck MRI & nerve tests (EMG).  Nerve tests showed moderate acute & chronic left C7 radiculopathy and significant denervation of the left pec & pronator, milder denervation of the triceps. Multiple docs said nerve damagetakes ~6 weeks to show up on EMG, so it's not surprising your first nerve study didn't show anything.  So in my case (and yours) it seems nerve damage is quite clear, and it's at C7.  The neurosurgeon I just saw this morning told me what your acup, PT, and chiro said--the pec wouldn't be affected by C7 impingement--but the nerve doc said everyone's wired a little differently.  It's clear to me that there *is* damage at C7 for both of us--it shows up in MRI & EMG. It's only the textbooks that say the pec wouldn't be compromised; the real evidence says otherwise.



It may be too late for you, but hopefully someone else can gain some knowledge from my post.  I certainly have learned something from yours.  Best of luck to anyone reading this.  Next up for me is continuing to try cervical traction (hasn't helped so far) & possible cervical foraminotomy.  One surgeon recommended 3 level ACDF but that's too extreme for me at this point; another neurosurgeon recommended the foraminotomy so that's what I mulling over.  If I ever get this resolved, I'll come back & post an update.  My doctors are all in agreement surgery is the best shot at avoiding permanent nerve damage & that not waiting too long is important.  One year seems to be the outer limit.



About me:

- 45 year old male

- Former competitive weightlifter

- Chronic neck pain, hand weakness, I think due to multiple neck traumas over the past 18 years.