Cervical Radiopathy Treatment for the Neck

Cervical radiculopathy is a condition located in the neck caused by a pinched and/or inflamed nerve. Radiculopathy is a term that describes pain, tingling and numbness which will occur in the neck and radiate down into the shoulder and arms. The first line of treatment is rest, it reduces motions and can possibly ease the irritation of the nerve. When rest is not successful, a neck collar or neck pillow is suggested to reduce strain. If conventional treatment is unsuccessful, physical therapy, medication and surgery are other available options.

Physical Therapy

• Individuals diagnosed with cervical radiculopathy will feel some symptom relief in the neck and upper extremities with physical therapy sessions. These sessions will focus on neck strengthening exercises to reduce the pressure and compression of the nerves. Learning correct posture, cervical traction (straightens and relieves pressure in the neck) and electrical stimulation is also combined with exercises for an overall therapy regime. Physical therapy is generally performed two to three times per week and could last for six weeks or longer.

Medication

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), muscle relaxers and narcotics are medications prescribed to treat neck pain, reduce inflammation and decrease the numbness and/or tingling feeling. If these medications are not working, corticosteroid injections or epidural blocks are performed in the cervical region to help block pain and decrease swelling.

Surgery

• Surgery is the last treatment option when all other treatment has failed for cervical radiculopathy. Cervical surgeries include a foraminotomy (enlarges the passageway for the nerve roots in the neck), discectomy (removing the neck disc that is causing problems with the nerve) and fusion (joining two or more bones in the C1 to C7 neck region to increase disc space to relieve compression or nerve pressure).

Causes

• The most common causes of cervical radiculopathy include disc degeneration, herniated disc and a spine that is unstable. Herniated discs can impinge a nerve causing swelling and irritation when the discs protrude the cervical spine area. Spinal stenosis is narrowing of the space that nerve roots travel in the neck. When this occurs, nerves can become compressed causing the pain, tingling and numbness in the neck and upper extremities. Shrinking in the discs caused through aging or chemical change is caused by degenerative disc disease. The cushion space decreases causing the vertebra to shift and apply pressure to on another, leading to pinched nerves.

Diagnosis

• Cervical radiculopathy diagnosis includes a full physical and medical history to determine if the patient is predisposed to any type of spinal disorders. The physician could also request a cervical X-ray to see if the discs or bone spurs are causing the symptoms. Further testing will include additional imaging studies using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT scan (computer tomography). Electrical tests in the neck to measure nerve signals and/or impulses called electromyography (EMG) and cervical root stimulation (CRS) are other diagnostic options.