What is radiculopathy?

Radiculopathy is a term describing the symptoms that result from nerve root compression near the spine. 

Your spine has many nerve roots exiting it; they branch off into every area of your body. When one of those nerve roots is compressed by a structural issue or injury, the result is typically referred pain in the area where those nerves travel.

What causes radiculopathy?

Radiculopathy can come from many injuries and structural issues affecting the spine and surrounding structures. Sometimes, the cause of radiculopathy is a natural structural feature. In other cases, it comes from an injury or degeneration. 

The experts at Pain Medicine Group look for common radiculopathy causes like:

• Spinal stenosis
• Herniated discs
• Bone spurs
• Thickening ligaments
• Tumors and noncancerous growths

Radiculopathy is the result of each of these, and the exact symptoms vary based on the location of the compressed nerve root along your spine.  

What are the common symptoms of radiculopathy?

Radiculopathy symptoms generally include radiating nerve pain, numbness, tingling, burning, and sometimes weakness. The location of the symptoms varies based on which section of the spine that the compressed nerve root is in, which may be the:

Cervical spine

Cervical radiculopathy comes from nerve roots in the neck, which travel through your arms and shoulders. 

Thoracic spine

Thoracic radiculopathy is rare but tends to cause symptoms that wrap around to the front of your body. 

Lumbar spine

Lumbar radiculopathy is also called sciatica because the sciatic nerve gets compressed. The lengthy sciatic nerve runs through your buttock and down the back of the leg, which is where you experience symptoms. 

How is radiculopathy treated?

Treating radiculopathy effectively requires personalized care and an accurate diagnosis from the board-certified experts at Pain Medicine Group. Treatments start out conservatively, with surgery becoming an option if noninvasive treatments don’t provide much relief. 

The radiculopathy treatment options at Pain Medicine Group include:

• Medications
• Physical therapy
• Epidural steroid injections
• Radiofrequency ablation
• Minimally invasive surgery

Many people experiencing radiculopathy must try a few different treatments before finding one that’s a good fit. 

To discuss your options for radiculopathy treatment with a board-certified expert, call Pain Medicine Group or book an appointment online today.