The Shoulder

C-7 Nerve root lesion

Causes

Disc lesion: Posterolateral protrusion: By far the commonest cause.
Compression of the seventh cervical root by the C6 disc is very common; 90 % of the cervical root palsies caused by a disc are found at this level.
An osteophytic palsy of the C7 root may be caused by encroachment on the sixth intervertebral foramen and results in a progressive but painless weakness of the C7 muscles.

Clinical Presentation

Pain is felt at the posterior aspect of the arm and the dorsal aspect of the forearm and hand as far as the second, third and fourth fingers.
Pins and needles are mostly felt in the index, middle and ring fingers.

most conspicious feature is weakness of the extension of the elbow (triceps).

Also the flexors of the wrist may be weakened.

In severe cases there may be some weakness of the shoulder adduction (pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi).

Treatment

Depending on cause and severity of the lesion.