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Trapped or Pinched Nerve in the Neck: Treatment in Dublin

By Dr Lawrence Woods

A trapped or irritated nerve in the neck can cause pain, pins and needles, numbness or weakness down your arm. Doctors call this cervical radiculopathy. It can be very painful, but most people get much better over time [1]. This page explains what it is, what the research shows, when to get medical help, and how we approach it at our clinic in Monkstown, Co. Dublin.

Trapped nerves are most common in the neck and the lower back. This page is about the neck. For leg pain from a nerve in the lower back, see our sciatica page. For tingling or numbness in the hand and fingers from the wrist, see carpal tunnel syndrome.

What is a trapped nerve in the neck?

The nerves to your arms leave the spine through small openings in the neck. If a nerve is pressed on or irritated, you can feel symptoms along the path of that nerve, often in one arm. The two most common causes are:

  • a disc bulge (herniated disc) in the neck
  • narrowing of the openings the nerves pass through, from age-related changes. This is sometimes called foraminal stenosis or cervical spondylosis.

The arm pain is often worse than the neck pain. You may also have tingling or numbness in your hand or fingers, or weakness in your arm or grip.

Narrowing in the neck can also, less often, press on the spinal cord itself. This is called cervical myelopathy and needs medical assessment. The warning signs are in the box below.

How long does it last?

The outlook is usually good. A review of the best-quality studies found that most people improve a lot within the first 4 to 6 months. For some, full recovery takes longer [1]. It is normal for recovery to be uneven, with good and bad days.

What does the research show?

We follow current clinical guidelines, including the US physiotherapy guideline for neck pain (2017) [4] and an international guideline from the OPTIMa task force (2016) [5].

Exercise and staying active

The guidelines recommend advice, reassurance and exercise, including supervised, graded strengthening [4][5]. In a Dutch trial of 205 people with recent arm pain from the neck, 6 weeks of physiotherapy with home exercises reduced arm pain more than waiting to see [6].

Nerve gliding exercises

Nerve gliding (neural mobilisation) uses gentle movements of the neck and arm to help the nerve move more freely. A 2023 review found it reduced pain and disability compared with no treatment (moderate-quality evidence). It was not clearly better than other active treatments [7]. These exercises are simple and can be done at home.

Hands-on treatment

Hands-on treatment (manual therapy) of the neck and upper back can be used alongside exercise [4]. We choose techniques carefully when a nerve is irritated, and neck manipulation is always optional.

About neck traction

Neck traction uses a table to apply a gentle, controlled pull to the neck. For arm pain from a nerve in the neck, the research is mixed.

  • One trial found adding traction to exercise helped more at 6 and 12 months [8], but another found it worked no better than a placebo [9]. A Cochrane review found too little good-quality research to say whether it helps [10].
  • One guideline supports it when arm pain has lasted a while [4]; another advises against it in the first few months [5].

If you're interested in traction, we'll discuss whether it's suitable for you. We only use it as an optional addition to an exercise-based plan, review it at your sixth visit, and stop if it isn't helping. Some people should not have traction at all: see spinal decompression for who it is not suitable for.

If you're booking mainly for traction, please call us first. We'll explain how we use it, so you know what to expect before your visit.

Medicines, injections and specialist care

Ask your GP or pharmacist about pain relief. If your pain is severe, you are not improving, or you have weakness, we will refer you to your GP. They can arrange a scan or a specialist opinion if needed.

How we approach a trapped nerve in the neck

Our clinic in Monkstown, Co. Dublin is led by Dr Lawrence Woods, a chiropractor with over 30 years' experience, and Kate Ryan, a CORU-registered Chartered Physiotherapist and member of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP).

  • Assessment first. Your first visit is an assessment, which includes a first treatment if it is suitable. We check the strength, feeling and reflexes in your arms and look for warning signs.
  • A plan built around exercise. Your plan is based on staying active, exercise and nerve gliding, with hands-on treatment as part of it if it suits you.
  • A review at your sixth visit. We check your progress against your goals. If you are not improving, we will say so and talk about other options, including seeing your GP.

Questions about a trapped nerve in the neck

Is neck manipulation safe if I have a trapped nerve?

Short-lived soreness, stiffness or headache afterwards is common. Very rarely, a tear in an artery in the neck can cause a stroke. A large US study of over 860,000 adults with new neck pain or headache found no higher risk of this after chiropractic neck manipulation than after being prescribed ibuprofen [11]. The research is still not certain, so we check your health first, explain the benefits and risks, and only go ahead if you agree. There are gentler alternatives, especially when a nerve is irritated.

Do I need an MRI scan?

Not always. A scan is most useful if you are not improving, you have weakness that is getting worse, or a specialist opinion is being considered. If you need one, we will refer you to your GP.

Can I see you without a GP referral?

Yes, you can book directly. After your assessment, we may refer you to your GP if you need further tests, such as an MRI scan or blood tests.

If you would like an assessment, you can book an appointment, start with our online questionnaire, or contact us with any questions. You may also find our neck pain page helpful.

Sources

  1. Wong JJ, Côté P, Quesnele JJ, et al. (2014). The course and prognostic factors of symptomatic cervical disc herniation with radiculopathy: a systematic review of the literature. The Spine Journal 14(8):1781–1789. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2014.02.032
  2. Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust. Degenerative cervical myelopathy. https://leedscommunityhealthcare.nhs.uk/our-services-a-z/musculoskeletal-msk/neck-problems/known-and-diagnosed-neck-problems/degenerative-cervical-myelopathy/
  3. HSE (2026). Neck pain. Health Service Executive, Ireland. Page last reviewed 3 March 2026. https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/neck-pain/
  4. Blanpied PR, Gross AR, Elliott JM, et al. (2017). Neck pain: revision 2017. Clinical practice guidelines. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy 47(7):A1–A83. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2017.0302
  5. Côté P, Wong JJ, Sutton D, et al. (2016). Management of neck pain and associated disorders: a clinical practice guideline from the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa) Collaboration. European Spine Journal 25(7):2000–2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-016-4467-7
  6. Kuijper B, Tans JTJ, Beelen A, et al. (2009). Cervical collar or physiotherapy versus wait and see policy for recent onset cervical radiculopathy: randomised trial. BMJ 339:b3883. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.b3883
  7. Paraskevopoulos E, Koumantakis GA, Papandreou M (2023). The effectiveness of neuromobilization in patients with cervical radiculopathy: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation 32(3):325–334. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsr.2022-0259
  8. Fritz JM, Thackeray A, Brennan GP, Childs JD (2014). Exercise only, exercise with mechanical traction, or exercise with over-door traction for patients with cervical radiculopathy, with or without consideration of status on a previously described subgrouping rule: a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy 44(2):45–57. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2014.5065
  9. Young IA, Michener LA, Cleland JA, et al. (2009). Manual therapy, exercise, and traction for patients with cervical radiculopathy: a randomized clinical trial. Physical Therapy 89(7):632–642. https://doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20080283
  10. Graham N, Gross A, Goldsmith CH, et al. (2008). Mechanical traction for neck pain with or without radiculopathy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CD006408. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006408.pub2
  11. Trager RJ, Baumann AN, Labak CM, et al. (2026). Association between spinal manipulative therapy and cervical artery dissection in patients with neck pain or headache: a retrospective cohort study. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies 34:53. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12998-026-00678-4