Radiculopathy is characterized by the injury or commitment of one or more nerves and their nerve roots that pass through the spine, causing the appearance of symptoms such as pain, puncture, shock and weakness of the limbs such as pain due to sciatic nerve compromise.
Nerves and nerve roots were part of the nervous system and were responsible for carrying information between the brain and limbs of the body such as sensitivity, strength and movement. Radiculopathy is usually caused by compression of nerve roots, due to diseases such as herniated disk or osteoarthritis of the spine, but it can also occur from other causes such as inflammation, ischemia, trauma to the colon, infiltration by a tumor.
- However.
- Any area of the spine may be affected.
- But it is more common in the lumbar and cervical regions.
- And treatment has been successful depending on the cause.
- Including physiotherapy.
- The use of painkillers or anti-inflammatory pain medications.
- In the most severe cases.
- Surgery.
The main symptoms of radiculopathy depending on the affected nerve, which occur mainly in the cervical or lumbar region, are:
In addition to being in the spine, symptoms of radiculopathy often radiate to different areas of the body, which will depend on nerves that are compromised such as arms, siblings, legs, or feet. The area that receives the fibers of a nerve root plant is called a rash See what the skin is and where it is.
In general, pain and other symptoms hinder situations where there is also an increase in nerve compression, and in the most severe cases, force failure or even paralysis of the corresponding region may occur.
A common example of radiculopathy is sciatic nerve pain, also called sciatica, which can be caused by compression of the roots of this nerve in the spine, but can radiate from anywhere on the nerve plateau. Learn more about identifying and treating painful sciatica.
The main causes of radiculopathy are
In addition, radiculopathy can be caused by severe spinal trauma, as could occur in an accident.
To diagnose radiculopathy, your doctor must identify symptoms, perform a physical assessment, detect key pain points, and request samples such as spinal MRI to detect changes in your spine, identify the affected nerve, and its cause.
Electroneuromyography (ENMG) examination might be helpful in many cases, as it shows the presence of lesions that could affect nerves and muscles, which can record the conduction of an electrical impulse in a neuron, this test is particularly appropriate in doubt about the cause of symptoms, and may even confirm a nervous system injury as well as other associated neurological diseases. See how electromyography is performed.
Treatment of radiculopathy depends on its cause, and is indicated by the traumatologist or neurosurgeon, and includes physical therapy with stretching exercises, vertebrae manipulation and muscle development, which can help cure symptoms.
In addition, your doctor may indicate the use of analgesic medications such as acetaminophen, dipirone, tramal codeine, anti-inflammatory drugs such as diclofenac, ketoprofen, or nimetulide to control the pain and discomfort it causes.
In people with chronic pain, your doctor may combine other medications to improve pain management and other associated conditions, such as insomnia and depression, include: antidepressants such as amitriptyline; anticonvulsants such as gabapentin and pregabalin; or muscle relaxants like cyclobenzaprine.
In the most severe cases, the doctor may indicate the completion of the surgery, mainly to decompress the root of the affected nerves.