Cervical Radiculopathy

Chronic neck pain is often due to cervical radiculopathy — a condition where the nerves in your neck become compressed. Visit Consultants in Pain Medicine: Stephanie S. Jones, MD, in San Antonio, Texas, if your neck pain travels down your arms and you have tingling or numbness. Dr. Jones and her team can diagnose your condition and offer effective treatments. Call the office to request a cervical radiculopathy evaluation or arrange a consultation by completing the online form today.

What is cervical radiculopathy?

Cervical radiculopathy is a spinal condition affecting your neck. The cervical vertebrae that form your neck house the spinal cord, protecting the delicate nerve tissue inside your spinal canal. The peripheral nerves spreading throughout your body originate in the spinal cord, extending through gaps in the vertebrae and branching out to your limbs and organs.

If something in your cervical spine is out of alignment, inflamed, or damaged, it can press on the nerve roots as they come off the spinal cord. The pressure affects nerve function, causing radiculopathy symptoms such as:

• Pain
• Tingling
• Prickling
• Burning
• Numbness
• Weakness
• Loss of function

These symptoms often extend into the arms and even hands, following the path of the affected nerves.

Why do I have cervical radiculopathy?

Nerve root compression causing cervical radiculopathy can result from several causes, including:

• Spinal injuries
• Cervical spinal stenosis (spinal canal narrowing)
• Bulging or herniated cervical disc
• Cervical degenerative disc disease
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteoporosis

These conditions can cause bone, ligament, or disc material to press on the nerves. The symptoms you experience vary depending on which nerves are affected and how severely.

How is cervical radiculopathy’s cause diagnosed?

When you visit Consultants in Pain Medicine: Stephanie S. Jones, MD, your provider reviews your medical history and symptoms and completes a physical exam. They assess your reflexes and nerve responses and look for signs of reduced arm function. They may send you for an X-ray, CT scan, or MRI so they can view the interior spine.

Diagnostic imaging results enable your provider to identify the nerve involved and evaluate the damage. This information helps them design an effective treatment plan.

What treatments can relieve my cervical radiculopathy symptoms?

Many patients recover from cervical radiculopathy with the help of conservative treatments such as physical therapy, manual manipulation, and anti-inflammatory medication. Ice packs also help reduce inflammation; you should avoid activities that worsen pain.

If your symptoms fail to improve, Consultants in Pain Medicine: Stephanie S. Jones, MD, offers cutting-edge nonsurgical treatments that can help. These include:

• Epidural steroid injections
• Nerve blocks
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy
• Trigger point injections
• Electro-Equiscope® electrical therapy

A spinal cord stimulator or intrathecal pain pump implantation can help if nothing else works.

Call Consultants in Pain Medicine: Stephanie S. Jones, MD, to discuss your cervical radiculopathy treatment options, or book an appointment online today.