Cervical Radiculopathy Treatment in Singapore

What is cervical radiculopathy exactly?

Cervical radiculopathy, also referred to as a pinched nerve in the neck, is the compression or irritation of a nerve root in the cervical spine (neck), which inhibits neurological function. The nerve roots send impulses to the sensory fibers in the skin of the upper limbs, which are responsible for feeling, as well as the muscles in the shoulders, arms, and hands. Therefore, depending on the nerve roots involved, any damage to these nerve roots may result in discomfort and a loss of sensation in the hand, arm, or shoulder.

Patients with cervical radiculopathy typically have neck discomfort that travels down the shoulder and, in rare instances, even further down the arm, into the hand and fingers, according to cervical radiculopathy treatment singapore. Furthermore, muscle weakness and numbness are frequently experienced.

Cervical radiculopathy is usually caused by the following conditions:

Cervical spine deterioration over time

A typical aging condition is spinal degeneration. In addition to causing pressure on the nerve roots, cervical osteoarthritis and/or cervical degenerative disc disease-related degeneration can also lead to the development of bony spurs, thickening of ligaments, or bulging spinal discs.

Herniated or ruptured spinal disc

In a younger person, a spinal injury that ruptured or herniated a disc may result in discomfort, tingling, or arm numbness. Extreme sports and other physically demanding activities like heavy lifting might result in a herniated spinal disc. The inner disc contents that seep out when a spinal disc herniates irritate nearby nerves.

An increase in the size of the exit foramen

A nerve root's egress from the spinal canal may become impinged or crushed when the space available to it narrows. Also known as "cervical foraminal stenosis," this condition.

The narrowing of the aperture may be caused by the aforementioned conditions.

The following are less frequent causes of cervical radiculopathy:

Infections spondylolytic

Even though they are uncommon, spinal infections can happen when an infection with bacteria or fungi from another region of the body spreads through the circulation and affects the spine. Collections that are infected might irritate or squeeze nerve roots, which causes cervical radiculopathy. It's possible that your spine has a TB infection.

Brain tumors

Spinal tumors have also been linked to the signs and symptoms of cervical radiculopathy because they stimulate and compress the nerve roots in the cervical spine.

My arm hurts, does it mean I have cervical radiculopathy?

Cervical radiculopathy symptoms might appear suddenly, gradually, or erratically. These discomforts are among the basic signs of cervical radiculopathy:

The discomfort begins in the neck and gradually spreads to the shoulder, arm, and, in some cases, the hand and fingers. On rare occasions, the upper back and the area around the shoulder blades may also experience pain.

The majority of the time, it just affects one side of your body, but occasionally it can.

May become worse in certain poses, such as sidebending, rotation, or neck extension.

Maybe occurring is

A sensation of numbness or "pins and needles" that starts at the shoulder and spreads down the arm, occasionally even reaching the hand and fingers. It frequently coexists with pain and is dispersed similarly to the pain.

Weakness in the hands, arms, or shoulders.

Any of the following additional signs could point to cervical myelopathy brought on by spinal cord compression:

Making it difficult to make little hand movements (loss of dexterity)

Hands and feet that do not respond

Problems with leg coordination may make it difficult to walk or cause falls.

Lack of bladder or bowel control

For whom is cervical radiculopathy a risk?

Gender

In contrast to women, men are more likely to develop cervical radiculopathy.

Age

Because the spine deteriorates with age, cervical radiculopathy is more common in older people. According to some estimations, adults aged 50 to 54 have the highest frequency of cervical radiculopathy. Younger people are more prone to experience it as a result of an accident or herniated spinal disc.

Correct or demanding postures, such as when handling large objects or diving at a height, are additional risk factors for cervical radiculopathy. You are more likely to experience a relapse or develop cervical myelopathy if you have previously experienced radiculopathy.