Cervical Radiculopathy

What is cervical radiculopathy?

Cervical radiculopathy is the medical term for a pinched nerve in your neck or your cervical spine. When the pinched nerve occurs in this uppermost portion of your spine, it can cause a wide range of symptoms that affect your neck, shoulder, arm, or hand. 

Some of the most common symptoms of cervical radiculopathy are:

• Pain
• Tingling
• Numbness
• Weakness
• Pins and needles sensations

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms between your neck and your hand, it could be a sign you have a pinched nerve. 

What causes cervical radiculopathy?

Several changes in your cervical spine can cause your pinched nerve. Two of the most common causes of cervical radiculopathy that the team at Birmingham Neurosurgery & Spine Group treats are:

Herniated discs

Between each vertebra — or bone in your spine — a disc provides cushion, allowing your spine to move in multiple directions comfortably and helping to absorb shock as you walk, run, and jump. The outer layer of these discs can rupture, allowing the jelly-like nucleus to bulge out and put pressure on your spinal canal. Also called a slipped or bulging disc, this herniated disc puts pressure on the nerves in the area, pinching them. 

Cervical stenosis

Your nerves use canals to exit your spinal column and connect to the rest of your body. But when you have stenosis, those canals narrow, putting pressure on the nerve. Calcium deposits called bone spurs often cause this narrowing of the spinal canal. 

How is cervical radiculopathy diagnosed and treated?

To diagnose the problem in your cervical spine, your doctor at Birmingham Neurosurgery & Spine Group may use:

• X-rays
• Discograms
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Electromyogram (EMG) tests and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) studies
• Computed tomography (CT) scans
• Myelograms

Once they confirm the presence of cervical radiculopathy, they start building a treatment program for you. They take a conservative approach, starting with the least invasive treatments first. That might mean physical therapy, epidural blocks, or medication. 

If these treatments don’t bring you relief, they explore your surgical options with you. As experts in minimally invasive and robotic surgery, they can perform your procedure with an optimal outcome and minimal recovery time afterward.

For relief from the pinched nerve in your neck, call Birmingham Neurosurgery & Spine Group to make an appointment today.