Cervical Radiculopathy is the medical term that refers to a “pinched nerve.” This is a painful condition, caused by damage to nerves in the cervical spine (neck). Pain can be sharp, burning, or radiating, traveling down the arm. Patients most often describe feeling “pins and needles”, leading to feelings of numbness.
The term pinched nerve refers to a type of painful injury to a nerve or set of nerves. The pain is a result of these nerves being pressed between bones, ligaments or tendons. When the nerves become sharply squeezed or compressed, it will result in pain, numbness or tingling. You may have the sensation of “pins and needles” or burning that radiates outward from the injured nerve.
The nerves in the spine leave the spinal column through small holes in the vertebrae. There are ligaments, vertebrae, joints, and discs that are adjacent to these spinal nerves. Any one of those things can compress or pinch the spinal nerves. A pinched nerve can be a result of many conditions including:
When a nerve root in the cervical spine becomes inflamed or damaged, it will cause pain and neurological symptoms. People with this condition will experience pain, weakness, or numbness from the area corresponding to the affected nerve. They will also most likely have pain that spreads outwards to the arms, neck, chest, upper back, or shoulders. One may also experience numbness or muscle weakness in the hands or the fingers. The person may also have issues using their hands. Cervical radiculopathy symptoms can be made worse by certain neck movements like straining the neck and extending or turning the head.
There are a number of diagnostic tests that we perform at Clearway to determine the cause of pain and the location of the damaged nerve. Our pain specialists will discuss your medical history and check on your overall health to learn more about you. They will also discuss your symptoms and do a physical examination of your neck, back, shoulders and arms. We are looking for muscle weakness, loss of feeling, and how good your reflexes are. The goal of our diagnostic consultations is to Listen to your history, Identify the source of chronic pain, and Provide a custom treatment plan to address your needs.
Treatment for a pinched nerve in the neck varies based on the individual. We offer many treatments to help our patients find relief from a pinched nerve including physical therapy, spinal injections and medication. Recovery time can vary greatly. We have seen patients recover fairly quickly with little treatment and also patients who recover very slowly with vigorous treatment.
Diabetic neuropathy is a condition in which nerves become damaged, leading to tingling, numbness, burning, and pain in your hands and/or feet.
Text neck is an overuse syndrome from poor posture resulting from extended hours on our electronic devices such as smartphones.
A cervical radiculopathy is something you may know better by the name “pinched nerve”. This painful issue is caused by damage to nerves in the neck.
Are you ready to alleviate your pain and restore your physical function so you can live your best life – the one you want and deserve? The entire Clearway team is ready to help.
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