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The spine is a column of bones that protects the spinal cord. When one of the nerve roots along the spine becomes irritated or compressed, it’s called radiculopathy. Also known as a pinched nerve, radiculopathy can cause radiating pain and may also cause the area near the compressed nerve to feel numb, painful or weak.
If you’re experiencing back or neck discomfort that doesn’t go away, you may need a skilled and experienced neurologist for cervical radiculopathy treatment. In the New York or New Jersey area, your best option is Neuro Injury Specialists. Dr. Mark Cohen, Dr. Dmitriy Dvoskin and Dr. Leon Reyfman are expert neurologists, pain management specialist with vast experience in radiculopathy treatment. They are specialists in treating nerve pain, headaches and injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries.
The symptoms you experience from radiculopathy vary depending on the location of the pinched nerve.
Some symptoms you may have include:
Pain from a pinched nerve is usually described as burning or shooting. It sometimes worsens when you sneeze or cough, and it may also worsen from prolonged sitting or moving your back or neck in certain ways. Muscle weakness becomes noticeable if you start dropping things or have difficulty lifting things. Some people experience difficulty walking.
Back pain and neck pain have many possible causes. The symptoms of radiculopathy are very similar to other conditions such as peripheral neuropathy. For an accurate diagnosis, your the best NY/NJ neurologist does a physical exam and diagnostic testing, such as a nerve conduction test or an electromyography.
There are different types of radiculopathies based on which part of the spine has a pinched nerve.
The three different types include:
When the sciatic nerve in the lower back becomes compressed, it’s called sciatica. This type of radiculopathy usually causes pain that runs across the buttocks, hips and legs. When radiculopathy affects the arms or legs, usually only one side of the body is affected.
Several different things can cause compression or irritation of a nerve root. The need for treatment for cervical radiculopathy or other types of pinched nerves can happen to people of all ages but most often affects people over the age of 50.
Some causes of radiculopathy include:
Radiculopathy is often caused by wear and tear of discs over time. As you age, spinal discs can lose their flexibility and shape. This can cause the spine to shift and pinch a nerve.
This condition can also be caused by trauma from an injury such as:
Radiculopathy treatment depends on the location of the pinched nerve and the severity of your symptoms.
Nonsurgical treatment options your neurologist may first suggest include:
Improving your posture may help relieve symptoms by reducing pressure on the spine. Immobilization with a soft cervical collar for a week or two may be part of cervical radiculopathy treatment. This is done to limit neck movements to reduce irritation of nerves. Surgery by cervical radiculopathy specialists is only recommended when symptoms are severe and other forms of treatment have been unsuccessful.
It’s not always possible to prevent some of the causes of radiculopathy, but there are some things you can do that may help, such as:
Work on attaining a healthy weight since obesity can be hard on the spine. Take frequent breaks when doing repetitive work and use proper lifting techniques, which means bending your knees to avoid putting a lot of strain on your back.
If you’ve had neck pain or back pain that’s lasted for over a week and hasn’t been relieved with rest, it’s a good idea to see a doctor to have an examination. Reach out to experts to get treatment for cervical radiculopathy if your pain hasn’t been relieved by over-the-counter medication or if you have weakness in an arm or leg.
Contact Neuro Injury Specialists, where you can count on getting expert care and a personalized, effective treatment plan for radiculopathy and other neurological disorders.