What Is Cervical Radiculopathy?
Cervical radiculopathy is the medical term for a pinched nerve that occurs in the neck, causing pain that radiates down the arm and sometimes into the chest. The inflammation and compression of the nerve roots in your cervical spine can lead to neurological dysfunction, including pain, weakness, and numbness.
What Causes Cervical Radiculopathy?
Cervical Radiculopathy, or a pinched nerve, occurs when the nerve roots in your neck become inflamed and compressed. There are two main conditions that can lead to cervical radiculopathy: cervical spondylosis and a herniated disc. Cervical spondylosis refers to degenerative changes that happen to your spine as you age. A pinched nerve can also occur spontaneously as a result of injury or overuse.
Symptoms of Cervical Radiculopathy
The nerves in the neck extend to the shoulders, arms, chest, and upper back. When you are experiencing cervical radiculopathy, the symptoms can radiate out to these body parts, affecting multiple or just one. Symptoms typically will only occur on one side of the body and can include:
- Pain
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Pins and needles feeling
- Muscle weakness
- Weakened reflexes
How is Cervical Radiculopathy Diagnosed?
In order to diagnose cervical radiculopathy, your physician will begin by reviewing your medical history, general health, any past or recent injuries, and your current symptoms. They will examine the condition of your arms, shoulders, and neck by looking for symptoms like weakness and slowed reflexes in one side of the body compared to the other. You may be asked to perform various arm and neck movements in an attempt to replicate the pain and accurately identify what causes it and during what activities it commonly occurs. Lastly, certain imaging tests may be used to diagnose your condition if a physical exam does not yield a proper diagnosis. Imaging tests can include an X-ray, MRI, CT scan, or EMG.
How Is Cervical Radiculopathy Treated?
Depending on the severity of your cervical radiculopathy and the specificities of your case, multiple treatment options exist to relieve your pain. SpineCare of NY is dedicated to an open partnership between our surgical and non-surgical physicians in an attempt to come up with the most minimally invasive treatment plan possible. Non-surgical solutions can include physical therapy and epidural steroid injections. If symptoms persist, a spinal decompression procedure may be the next step.
Schedule a Consultation
The world-renowned physicians at SpineCare of NY are dedicated to providing the most advanced and up-to-date solutions to your spinal condition. We are affiliated with HSS, Hospital for Special Surgery, the number one ranked orthopedic hospital in the United States, ensuring you are in the most capable of hands through every step of your spinal health journey. To schedule a consultation, head to our website and fill out an online contact form.
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