The thoracic spine has 12 nerve roots (T1 to T12) on each side of the spine that branch from the spinal cord and control motor and sensory signals mostly for the upper back, chest, and abdomen.
If any of the thoracic nerves become inflamed, such as from a thoracic herniated disc or a narrowing of the foramen, thoracic radiculopathy can develop with symptoms of pain, tingling, numbness, and/or weakness radiating along the nerve root. These symptoms typically follow a pattern as noted above, based on the affected nerve root’s location and functions.
