Cervical Radiculopathy

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Cervical radiculopathy occurs when a nerve root in the neck is compressed and irritated.  The condition is often referred to as a pinched nerve.  The nerve roots in the cervical spine exit the spinal canal and travel into the shoulders, arms, and hands.  Radiculopathy is pain and symptoms that travel to related part of the body. Cervical radiculopathy can cause tingling, numbness, and other sensations such as pins and needles in the neck, shoulders, upper back, arms, and hands.

Symptoms

Symptoms range from mild to severe.  Pain, numbness, tingling and weakness may develop suddenly or gradually.  Furthermore, pain and symptoms may be more pronounced in once area of the upper body than another.  Muscle weakness can affect upper body strength, movement, and coordination.

• Mild to severe pain
• Numbness
• Tingling, pins and needles sensations
• Muscle weakness
• Headache

Video: Cervical Radiculopathy
Click below to view a video from our library about this condition.

Causes of Cervical Radiculopathy

A damaged disc may cause cervical radiculopathy. Between each vertebral body is an intervertebral disc; a fibrous cushion that absorbs and distributes stress.

The tough outer ring (annulus fibrosus) surrounds a gel-like inner core (nucleus pulposus).  When a disc bulges, tears,or ruptures disc matter can compress (pinch) nearby nerve roots.  Nerves become irritated, inflamed and cause pain that spreads (radicular pain).

Who is at risk for Cervical Radiculopathy?

Anyone can develop cervical radiculopathy, but it is more common in mature adults. Since disc disorders tend to be more common in the elderly, cervical radiculopathy is more common in seniors.

Treatment

Your doctor takes your medical history and performs a physical and neurological examination.  Diagnostic tests, such as those listed below can help confirm where a spine problem exists.

• X-rays
• MRI or CT scan
• Nerve conduction studies

Non-surgical treatments include medications, spinal injections, and physical therapy. A cervical collar temporarily supports and limits neck motion.

Seldom is spine surgery needed to treat cervical radiculopathy. Surgery may be recommended if symptoms are not responsive to non-operative treatment, spinal instability develops, or progressive nerve dysfunction develops.  Many types of neck surgery are performed using minimally invasive techniques.  Such procedures do not require large incisions and recovery is usually quicker than traditional open surgery.