Final answer:
Sensory deficit in the medial forearm and diminished or absent finger flexion typically indicate damage to the C8 level of the cervical spinal cord. Physical examination and imaging technology like MRI or CT scans can help localize the trauma.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sensory and motor deficits described in the question, including sensory deficit in the medial forearm and diminished or absent finger flexion, would likely indicate damage to the cervical spinal cord at the C8 level. The eighth cervical nerve is responsible for sensory innervations of the medial forearm and finger flexion. In a clinical examination, using a cotton-tipped applicator for light touch sensory testing can help isolate the affected dermatome, while the absence of finger flexion may indicate a motor deficit associated with the same nerve root or with the spinal cord level itself.For sensory discrimination, understanding that pain and fine touch pathways are different is crucial. Motor deficits of specific muscle groups combined with the sensory loss can help pinpoint the damaged area using a combination of physical examination and imaging technology like MRI or CT scans.