Cervical radiculopathy develops when one of these nerve roots becomes compressed or irritated, leading to neurological symptoms. [3] These may include neck pain, radiating arm pain, numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, or altered reflexes that follow the pattern of the affected nerve root. Cervical radiculopathy describes a compressed nerve root in the neck (cervical spine).

Understanding the Context

Because the nerve roots in this area of the spine primarily control sensations in your arms and hands, this is where the symptoms are most likely to occur. Radiculopathy is the pinching of a nerve root (where nerves join/leave the spinal column). Pinching of the nerve roots can cause pain and numbness in areas controlled by that nerve. Symptoms of nerve ...

Key Insights

News Medical: Posterior foraminotomy shows comparable results to anterior discectomy for cervical radiculopathy For patients with cervical radiculopathy, posterior foraminotomy provides outcomes comparable to those of the more commonly performed anterior cervical discectomy, reports a randomized clinical trial ... Cervical radiculopathy is a condition that results in radiating pain, muscle weakness and/or numbness down your arm. It's caused by compression and inflammation of any of the nerve roots in your neck. The main symptom of cervical radiculopathy is pain that spreads into the arm, neck, chest, upper back, and/or shoulders. Often, this affects just one side of your body.

Final Thoughts

Cervical radiculopathy, commonly called a "pinched nerve" occurs when a nerve in the neck is compressed or irritated where it branches away from the spinal cord. This may cause pain that radiates into the shoulder, as well as numbness that travels down the arm and into the hand. Radiculopathy refers to symptoms that develop when there is compression of a spinal nerve root. Most commonly, the nerve compression is related to a disc herniation or spondylosis (degenerative changes in the spine) and may occur with or without trauma. "Cervical radiculopathy is a disease process marked by nerve compression from herniated disk material or arthritic bone spurs. This impingement typically produces neck and radiating arm pain or numbness, sensory deficits, or motor dysfunction in the neck and upper extremities." [1] Cervical Radiculopathy is a condition caused by compression of spinal nerves and inflammation of the nerve roots, which presents neck pain that may radiate to the arms, possibly with accompanying numbness, motor weakness, or a sensory deficit.

Cervical radiculopathy is a clinical condition characterized by unilateral arm pain, numbness and tingling in a dermatomal distribution in the hand, and weakness in specific muscle groups associated with a single cervical nerve root.