What Triggers Cervical Radiculopathy?

Cervical radiculopathy can be triggered by physical conditions, trauma to the spine, and also through just general degradation that occurs as you continue to age. More specifically, physical conditions that can trigger the symptoms of cervical radiculopathy include herniated discs and the formation of bone spurs on the vertebrae. Injuries that occur during accidents such as automotive collisions or serious falls can also trigger cervical radiculopathy symptoms. The most common cause of cervical radiculopathy is the degeneration of the spine and spinal discs that occur throughout the aging process, often not having any other external causes for which the symptoms can be explained, due to the loss of shape and flexibility of the spine. This degeneration that slowly occurs over many years even in healthy adults continues to increase the risk of the spine shifting out of its normal position and pinching a nerve along the neck, which is cervical radiculopathy.

For the less severe cases of cervical radiculopathy, many patients will be able to treat the condition without any formal treatments or surgeries, with symptoms improving in a matter of days. Some at-home treatments for minor cases of cervical radiculopathy include resting the neck and avoiding much movement until the pain subsides, adjusting your posture, switching between hot and cold compresses to reduce swelling and inflammation, taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication, and using a specific type of pillow while sleeping to ensure the neck is sufficiently supported. Moderate cases of cervical radiculopathy will likely require some form of physical therapy that consists of exercises and gentle stretching, as well as prescription pain medication or injections of epidural steroids provided by a specialist. Severe cases of cervical radiculopathy will likely require radiculopathy surgery if the symptoms being caused by the condition are interfering with the patient’s quality of life and no other forms of treatment have provided any symptom relief.

The severity of the condition can range quite a bit, but anyone who suffers from cervical radiculopathy will experience symptoms that can be quite painful, so the duration of the symptoms and difficulty the patient has in finding symptom relief will more or less determine the severity of their case. In all instances, the quality of life of the patient will start to be affected as the pain will prevent them from being able to engage in their normal daily activities and will likely make sleeping and just sitting very uncomfortable. Mild cases can last just for a handful of days and will find symptom relief from at-home remedies, whereas more severe cases can come with symptoms that last for several weeks and require more formal medical interventions in order to help speed up the healing process just to allow for the patient to return to a normal, pain-free life. Any pain that is being experienced, particularly in the spine and neck, should be taken very seriously to prevent patients from suffering from any unnecessary pain wherever possible.

While you are in the recovery process or are receiving treatment for cervical radiculopathy, there are several movements, exercises, and activities that should be avoided to ensure that the neck is able to heal properly and as quickly as possible, including:

– Exercises that include lifting heavy weights, are high impact, put increased pressure or strain on the neck, and include repeated jumping, and even running since it can often cause too much strain on the affected area.

– Sleeping while lying on your stomach.

– Moving the neck around too much outside of what is recommended by a physical therapist (i.e., rolling your neck).

– Holding your head in one position for long periods of time such as while working at a computer or driving.

It is also very important that patients who are recovering from cervical radiculopathy make sure that they are practicing good posture as that will help to prevent the condition from worsening.

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