A c5-c6 herniated disc can affect the nerves that control the muscles in the arms, neck, shoulders, hands as well as the head, eyes, ears, or thyroid gland. Symptoms in these areas in addition to pain in the neck is very common with c5-c6 disc herniations.
Cervical spine abnormalities can affect the ear vessels and or nerves with different mechanisms. Ear dysfunctions following cervical spine injuries can be manifested as hearing loss, vertigo, or tinnitus. Usually, cervical spine injuries can cause pain and Range of Motion (ROM) limitation.
The compression of nerve roots in the neck impacts the neck, arms, hands and shoulders with radiating pain. Often, tingling and numbness in these areas are another common symptom of C5-C6 disc bulging. This can lead to muscle weakness and spasms and additional discomfort in the digits of the hands.
While each case is unique, common symptoms of a C5-C6 disc bulging include neck and shoulder pain, radicular pain felt in the arms and hands, and sensations such as tingling, numbness, shooting electric shock-like pains, weakness, and a reduced range of motion.
A pinched or compressed nerve can trigger numbness, tingling or other sensations at the end of the nerve, which might be in the fingers or in the ear.
Occipital Neuralgia is a condition in which the occipital nerves, the nerves that run through the scalp, are injured or inflamed. This causes headaches that feel like severe piercing, throbbing or shock-like pain in the upper neck, back of the head or behind the ears.
Neck/Cervical Spine Conditions
If you have neck pain or have trouble with arthritis related to your neck, this can also lead to pain in the ears. If your neck is sore or you experience headaches and/or burning of your neck as well as ear pain, this may all be related.
C5-C6 (C6 nerve root): Pain, tingling, and/or numbness may be felt in the thumb side of the hand. Weakness may also be experienced in the biceps (muscles in the front of the upper arms) and wrist extensor muscles in the forearms. The C5-C6 disc is one of the most common to herniate.
When a bulging or herniated disc occurs in the C5-C6 region, it can cause sharp pain that radiates from the neck to the shoulder, arms, hands, and fingers. It can also lead to muscle weakness, numbness, spasms, headaches, and neck stiffness. There may also be a cracking or popping sound when moving the neck.
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgery involves removing the C5-C6 intervertebral disc to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or C6 nerve root. The disc is replaced by an implant or bone graft, allowing biological fusion of the adjacent C5 and C6 vertebrae.
Additionally, from C5 and C6, the axillary nerve supplies the motor function of the deltoid and teres minor, as well as the sensory aspect of the overlying skin, the superior lateral cutaneous nerve of the arm, and the skin of the lateral shoulder and arm.
You can usually resume light activities two weeks after the injury, and it takes around six weeks to fully heal.
Ear ache and stiff neck could be spinal meningitis or aseptic meningitis. Less likely could be temperomandibular joint dysfunction, ear infection (middle or external ear), neck muscle tightness, cervical radiculpathy (pinched nerve in the neck) or eustachian tube dysfunction.
In many of these patients, their problems of tinnitus, Meniere's disease, dizziness, ear fullness, decreased hearing, or sensitivity to sound may be traced to problems of cervical spine/neck instability. The eustachian tube is the canal that connects the inner ear and the upper throat.
Earache and stiff neck could be temporomandibular joint dysfunction, ear infection (middle or external ear), neck muscle tightness, cervical radiculopathy (pinched nerve in the neck), or Eustachian tube dysfunction.
Cervical nerve 5 controls the deltoid muscles of your shoulders and your biceps. C5 provides sensation to the upper part of your upper arm down to your elbow. Cervical nerve 6 controls the extensor muscles of your wrist and is involved in the control of your biceps.
Cervical Disc Disease
According to the study noted above, cervical disc degeneration was more prevalent at the C5-C6 level. For those suffering from cervical disc degeneration disease, they may experience neck pain, nerve pain that radiates down to the shoulders, arm, hand or fingers.
The C5-C6 spinal disc and spinal joints (facet joints) are the most mobile neck joints, and all that mobility can cause them to wear out prematurely. C5-C6 slipped discs, facet syndrome, degeneration, and information is avoidable, treatable, and to a certain extent reversible without steroid injections or surgery.
Cervical radiculopathy happens when a nerve root in your neck (cervical spine) becomes compressed (pinched) and inflamed. This compression has two main causes: Degenerative changes that happen in your spine as you age (cervical spondylosis). A herniated (bulging) disk in your neck.
A patient with C6 radiculopathy usually feels pain or numbness from the neck to radial side of the biceps, forearm, the dorsal web space of the hand between the thumb and index finger, and to the tips of those fingers.
Cervicogenic headache usually begins as a dull ache in the neck and radiates upward along the back of the head, almost always one-sided. Pain may also spread to the forehead, temple, and area around the eyes and/or ears. CGH is caused due to an underlying disc, joint, muscle, or nerve disorder in the neck.
Stiff Necks Cause Face, Jaw and Sinus Pain
The muscles of your head, jaw, face, the front of your neck and your upper trapezius muscles are commonly involved in sinus, jaw or face pain. Sometimes these trigger points and/or stiff neck joints can also lead to ear pain or sensation of loss of hearing.