Guide to Cervical Radiculopathy

QI Spine Clinic, 3 days ago

Do you want to know more about what is cervical radiculopathy? Read this article to get an overview. The cervical spine is a part of the backbone that covers the neck region. It has seven bones or vertebrae. It is a medical condition in which the nerve roots of the cervical spine or neck are compressed and inflamed. This problem causes neurological dysfunction and symptoms such as numbness, pain, and muscle weakness. The spinal cord connects the nerves from your body to the brain. The brain sends signals and communicates with the other body parts. A nerve root is the first part of a nerve that leaves the spinal cord and extends to other body parts. If a nerve root becomes pinched, it affects the other nerves attached to it. Therefore, cervical radiculopathy or a pinched nerve in the cervical region of the spine or neck region can cause pain that can extend to the arm.

Symptoms of Cervical Radiculopathy

The nerves connecting to your neck extend to the shoulders, arms, chest, and upper back. Thus, the neurological symptoms can radiate to any of these parts depending on which nerve root is pinched. Only one side gets affected, and symptoms occur on only one side. Symptoms of cervical radiculopathy include the following:

• Pain in the right or left arm. The pain may be sharp or burning. Movement of the neck can increase the pain. 
• Numbness of arms or fingers
• Tingling sensation in the arms and fingers
• Weakness of shoulders and arms
• Reflexes become weak due to pinched nerves

Causes of Cervical Radiculopathy

Cervical radiculopathy occurs when a nerve root gets compressed and inflamed in the neck region of the spine. The compression may occur due to different reasons, such as:

• Degenerative changes occur in the spine due to increasing age. It is also called cervical spondylosis.
• A bulging disk may occur in the neck that can also cause compression of the root nerve in the cervical region. 
• Injury: Injury is also a common cause in young people. It may occur due to a ruptured disc. 
• Other causes of cervical radiculopathy include tumours of the spine, infections, and sarcoidosis.

Diagnosis

When you visit a doctor for neck pain, the doctor will ask you questions about general health, medical history, symptoms, and history of accidents and injuries. 

• The doctor will examine your neck, arms, shoulders, and hands. They will examine changes in reflexes and muscle weakness and will check your sensations. The doctor will compare sensations on both sides. 
• The doctor will also ask you to go for some imaging tests for a confirmed diagnosis. The doctor will ask you to go for spine X-rays, MRIs, CT Scans, and EMG. X-rays are most commonly done to evaluate the neck and the cause of pain. X-rays are taken from different angles and views to reveal the real cause. 
• MRIs help to determine detailed images of the neck region. It helps to soft tissue abnormalities such as herniated discs and compressed nerves. 
• CT scans help to find out about the traumatic injuries that may have caused cervical radiculopathy.
• EMG helps to measure the electrical activity in response to a nerve stimulation of the muscle. It helps to find out if the nerve is working efficiently. 

Treatment of Cervical Radiculopathy

Treatment of cervical radiculopathy depends on the individual symptoms of the person. The QI Spine clinic offers conservative treatment, which include the following:

• Immobilization of the neck is important to give it rest. The doctor may advise you to wear a soft cervical collar to reduce neck movements and nerve root irritation. 
• The doctor may prescribe you over-the-counter pain medications to reduce pain or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce pain and inflammation. 
• Physical therapy is recommended to improve the strength of muscles and nerves. Physical exercises will depend on the individual symptoms of the patient. The doctor will also ask you to maintain a good posture while sitting or standing for a long time. 
• In some cases, doctors may give cervical epidural steroid injections to reduce pain and inflammation immediately.

Surgical Treatment 

At QI Spine, surgical treatment is recommended only when symptoms do not improve with non-surgical treatment methods. If a patient experiences severe neurological symptoms that do not improve after several weeks, then the doctor will recommend surgery. Different surgical treatments depend on many factors.

Cervical Radiculopathy Exercises

People can perform the following cervical radiculopathy exercises to get relief from the symptoms:

• Chin tuck: It is an exercise that helps in upper cervical flexion and lower cervical extension. It relieves pressure from the nerves. 
• Neural flossing: It is an exercise that reduces nerve tension and stiffness. It is a back-and-forth exercise that stretches the affected part. It also helps in improving flexibility and range of motion.
• Traction exercise: It is a common exercise that helps in relieving pain and other symptoms. You have to lay on your back at the edge of the bed with your feet towards the centre. Lower your head and upper torso to hang your head freely from the bed. Stay in this position for one minute. This will relieve your symptoms in a few days.
• Neck tilts: Neck tilts or side tilts can help relieve cervical radiculopathy. You can sit in a chair and tilt your neck to one side while bringing your ear to the shoulder. Hold this position for a few seconds and then return to the normal position. Repeat this several times and then do it on the side as well. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, cervical radiculopathy is a painful neurological condition that occurs due to compression of the nerve root in the cervical or neck region of the spine. Compression of the nerve root is the most important cause. A person will experience pain, numbness, and a tingling sensation in the arm. Symptoms may resolve with conservative treatment, but in some cases, symptoms become worse and need surgical intervention. Therefore, you must visit a QI Spine specialist if you feel pain, numbness, and tingling in the arms.