Cervical radiculopathy is a compression of the nerve root in the cervical spine. The term radiculopathy originates from ‘radix’ meaning root, this refers to the common structural presentation where the nerve root is being pinched on a body structure. This can be caused by a disc herniation or bony changes in the body. People with cervical radiculopathy often experience weakness, neck pain, numbness radiating down the arm, altered sensation and reflex deficits. In this blog, we are going to explore how this medical condition is diagnosed and the treatment options available to fix this unnerving issue.
How is cervical radiculopathy diagnosed?
Cervical radiculopathy can often be diagnosed without a scan. A physiotherapist or a doctor will be able to perform specific tests to determine if you have this medical condition. In certain situations, an MRI or X-Ray may be warranted to confirm the diagnosis or rule out other pathologies. It is important to note, that we are more than our scans! Did you know that by the age of 40, 33% of people will have a disc protrusion but report no spinal pain? Studies have shown that scans results do not reliable indicators of pain. This is why physiotherapists focus on your function instead of your scan.
What can I do for cervical radiculopathy?
The first line of treatment is usually conservative physiotherapy to help manage the symptoms of cervical radiculopathy. This will often involve an intensive course of physiotherapy rehabilitation exercises. Steroid injections can also be used to help relieve the symptoms to help you be able to do the rehabilitation exercises. Patients who do not respond well to conservative treatment may consider surgery. Research have shown that surgery can help decrease pain in the short term. However, physiotherapy is as effective as surgery in the long term. This highlights the people with cervical radiculopathy can decrease their pain and increase their function without the need of surgery.
Our physiotherapists will take a detailed subjective history to determine if there are any factors that could be contributing to your condition. We will provide you with ways to modify that activity to help facilitate recovery. For example tobacco smoking has been associated to decrease blood flow to the intervertebral discs. This can hinder the recovery of disc protrusion issues. At Myphysio, we understand that cervical radiculopathy can be a painful and disability issue. This is why our expert physiotherapy will use a combination of hands-on technique and rehabilitation exercises to help you get back on track to enjoying life. We are here to help! Book an appointment today! We also have an Instagram page so you can stay updated on the latest physiotherapy tips.
References:
- Brinjikji W, Luetmer PH, Comstock B, Bresnahan BW, Chen LE, Deyo RA, Halabi S, Turner JA, Avins AL, James K, Wald JT, Kallmes DF, Jarvik JG. Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations.
- Elmasry S, Asfour S, de Rivero Vaccari JP, Travascio F. Effects of Tobacco Smoking on the Degeneration of the Intervertebral Disc: A Finite Element Study. PLoS One. 2015 Aug 24;10(8):e0136137. LoE: 4
- Engquist M et al., Surgery Versus Nonsurgical Treatment of Cervical Radiculopathy: A Prospective, Randomized Study Comparing Surgery Plus Physiotherapy With Physiotherapy Alone With a 2-Year Follow-up. 15 september 2013. Spine, 38(20): 1715–1722.