Cervical Radiculopathy

Cervical Radiculopathy occurs when a nerve becomes irritated or pinched as a result of a bone spur or disc herniation in the neck. Nerves run out of our spinal cord at each level. The nerves from our neck run down into our arms providing sensation and activation to muscles in our shoulder, upper arm, forearm, and hand. These nerves can get pinched anywhere along their pathway from the neck to the hand. This causes the nerve and the muscle it supplies to not function properly. Patient's will have pain where the nerve travels, numbness or tingling where the nerve travels, or trouble activating certain muscles that the nerve supplies. One tell tale sign of cervical radiculopathy is that patient's often find a position of relief by resting their arm over the top of their head. Treatment in physical therapy involves improving the mobility in the spine at the level the nerve leaves, promoting blood flow to the area the nerve travels to allow it to heal, retraining the nerve's ability to move better, and building strength and mobility in the muscles that the nerve supplies. Treatment for cervical radiculopathy tends to produce excellent results in physical therapy. Below are some pictures that demonstrate how we treat cervical radiculopathy in the clinic. If you would like to schedule an appointment please reach out to us.