What is the most likely site of the lesion in a patient with neck and right arm pain radiating down the inner forearm?

In the scenario presented, the most likely site of the lesion is the C6 nerve root. This is supported by the radiating pain pattern down the inner forearm, which corresponds to the sensory distribution of the C6 nerve root.

The C6 nerve root provides sensation to the lateral aspect of the forearm and part of the thumb, but it also has motor innervations that can contribute to shoulder and arm functions. When this root is affected, as would be the case in a cervical radiculopathy or nerve root compression, it can lead to pain that radiates down the arm, often following a specific dermatome pattern.

Understanding how the nerve root affects sensory and motor functions is crucial. In this context, while the axillary nerve is responsible for innervating the deltoid and provides sensation over the lateral shoulder, it would not typically account for the described pain pattern. Similarly, although the C7 root is also involved in arm and hand access, it typically produces pain and sensations that radiate down the posterior aspect of the arm, which does not match the inner forearm distribution. The median nerve mainly provides motor and sensory functions in the hand and follows a different pain distribution, primarily affecting the palmar aspect of the