How to Diagnose Acute Cervical Radiculopathy

A cervical radiculopathy can be a frightening and terribly painful condition. The problem, usually caused by pressure from a bulging or ruptured disc on nerves as they come out of the spinal cord, can also cause arm and shoulder weakness. Developing an idea about the anatomy of the neck, how nerves reach their destinations, and what different symptoms imply are all helpful in diagnosing this problem.

Instructions

• 1

  Learn about the anatomy of the neck, the spinal cord and the cervical spine from websites like orthogate.org. Develop an understanding of how the nerves to the arm come through openings in the cervical spine and go all the way to the fingers.

• 2

  Know that pressure on these nerves cause various symptoms. The symptoms relate to what the nerves supply. Consequently, pressure on a nerve that supplies the outside of the left arm will seem to cause pain in the left arm even though the problem is in the neck.

• 3

  Review your recent history. If you have symptoms that may be from a cervical radiculopathy, see if any activities that you may have been engaged in are related to the onset of your symptoms. For example, new or different exercises, injuries, change in jobs, or the lifting of a large weight. Stop any activities if they appear to be related to the onset of symptoms.

• 4

  Rest and use anti-inflammatories. If your symptoms of pain do not resolve in 5 to 7 days, if numbness in either arm worsens, or if you notice ANY weakness in either arm, see your personal physician.

• 5

  Begin your evaluation for a bulging or ruptured cervical disc or some other cause of pressure on nerves with plain x-rays of your neck and an exam by your doctor. These x-rays will not show discs, but they will show the cervical spine. Your personal physician may at this time refer you to a neurosurgeon or a neurologist.

• 6

  Continue a workup with an MRI of the cervical area (if necessary). This shows cervical discs and nerves. If an MRI does not show a definitive cause for your symptoms, you may be sent for nerve conduction studies.

• 7

  Complete your workup with a cervical myelogram only as a last resort. This test is an excellent visualization procedure, but is associated with some risk--the other tests are not.