Sneezing Caused Pain Down Arms, Neck, Chest and Legs

We had a patient come in recently who had been complaining of pain down his left arm and general tightness in his neck. Working from a home office environment, we’ve been seeing a lot of this lately. We treated him with regular chiropractic adjustments and this has helped keep the pain at bay and he’s been able to manage things well.

This was up until recently. He did something to jar his neck and now each time he sneezes, he’s experiencing pain in both arms, his neck, chest and sometimes even in his legs if he’s standing up when sneezing.

He has applied ice to his neck and taken ibuprofen at times when he feels most discomfort. He says generally, while he feels ok for the most part, the sneezing is concerning due to the pain and tingling he experiences.

We have x-rayed him and will be sending him off for an MRI to see exactly what is going on, but this sounds like a classic case of a herniated disc.

He did the right thing in icing as this helps reduce inflammation around the area which should ease the issue when he does sneeze.

Too determine the exact treatment he will need, we will wait and see what the MRI comes back and go from there, but there are many treatment options available to us before surgery is even thought about.

These treatments include:

• Continue chiropractic care
• Some physical therapy
• Specific stretches and exercises to help the area
• Spinal decompression
• Therapeutic ultrasound, TENs, cold laser therapy

When we do get those MRI results back, we will come together, doctors and therapists and determine the most appropriate course of action to help with the issue. Our treatment protocols are all conservative and non invasive.

If the condition doesn’t respond well to this treatment or there is a more serious issue, then we will discuss that, and surgery may well be the only option then. But exploring all conservative options and treatments first.

This is what makes our practice so special. We have multiple treatments to hand all under one roof.

If you have an issue like our patient above, we can help you. Call us today (908) 325-3000 or schedule an appointment online.

Dr David Perna DC, CCSP, CCEP

Dr. David Perna DC, CCSP, CCEP is the founder and practice overseer at Back and Body Pain Relief in Springfield, NJ. A graduate of Life University Summa Cum Laude, Dr. Perna holds certifications in Active Release Technique (ART), Graston, SFMA, Neuro-Diagnostics (NCV/EMG), and Manipulation Under Anesthesia, among others. He is a Board Certified Sports Physician, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and a United States Olympic Committee Sports Medicine Volunteer.

A competing athlete himself — a 2x Ironman 70.3 finisher with a background in Olympic weightlifting, CrossFit, and martial arts – Dr. Perna brings firsthand athletic experience to his patient care.

He has treated presidents, royalty, diplomats, and professional athletes across MMA, baseball, tennis, and football, and has appeared on Dr. Oz demonstrating chiropractic therapies. His approach is diagnostic-first, combining evidence-based chiropractic care with rehabilitation to help patients get out of pain and back to full function.