Cervical Radiculopathy – Overview

Transcript

Cervical radiculopathy is basically a pinched nerve in the neck, in the cervical spine. We have pairs of nerves, one in each side, that come off of the spinal cord. These nerves can be irritated by complex aging related changes like disc herniations and stenosis. Disc herniations create a response that irritates the nerve biochemically, from an auto-immune inflammatory response mechanically from direct compression of the nerve and other soft tissue changes, and also changes of blood flow to the nerve as a result of these processes. Spinal stenosis refers to a gradual insidious process where the canal narrows and constricts, either in the central canal where the spinal cord lives or in the foramen, which are the holes out of which the nerve roots exit. And then radiate further down to the shoulder and arm. Different disc and bony overgrowth occurs. And these can compress the nerve and refer painful symptoms like tingling, burning, cramping, aching, throbbing pain in the shoulder and arm, and can cause weakness.