Radiculopathy Treatment in Delhi, India

A pinched or pressed nerve in the spine is known as radiculopathy. It develops from the damage to the surrounding bones and cartilage. These changes may cause stress on a nerve root (radicular nerve). A nerve root is the segment from each spinal nerve exiting the spinal cord and passing through an outlet in the spine.

Associated Anatomy of Radiculopathy

The name and function of each area of the spine helps identify the kind of radiculopathy, such as:

• Cervical area or neck
• Thoracic area or mid-back
• Lumbar area or lower back
• Sacrum (connecting the spinal cord to the hips)
• Coccyx or tailbone.

Radiculopathy Causes

Radiculopathy can be caused by:

• Tumours: Neurological impairments can arise if a spinal tumour becomes large enough to pinch the spinal cord or a radicular nerve.
• Herniated discs: Inflammation in the disc causes compression in the radicular nerve.
• Bone spurs: Bone spurs, or excess bone development from inflammation or osteoarthritis, also cause radiculopathy leading to foramina constriction.
• Sciatica: This refers to the pain radiating from sciatic nerves. When it involves root nerves, it causes radiculopathy.
• Diabetes: High blood sugar can cause nerve damage, resulting in diabetic lumbosacral radiculopathy causing weakness in one’s lower extremities.
• Spinal stenosis: It narrows the gaps between your vertebrae, putting pressure on the nerves (including the radicular nerve) that go through it.

Radiculopathy Symptoms

Radiculopathy can cause the following symptoms:

• Pain in the vicinity of the damaged nerve
• Tingling
• Numbness
• Muscle weakening
• Loss of reflexes

The symptoms of radiculopathy differ based on the kind of radiculopathy:

• Cervical radiculopathy: The patient experiences neck and radiating arm discomfort or numbness, sensory impairments, or motor deficits in the upper extremities because the nerve root or the neck’s radicular nerve is pinched or pressed.

• Thoracic radiculopathy: The patient experiences pain around the chest and discomfort during breathing because the nerve root or the upper back’s radicular nerve is pinched or pressed.
• Lumbar radiculopathy: The patient experiences discomfort or numbness in the legs because the nerve root or the lower back’s radicular nerve is pinched or pressed.

Radiculopathy Diagnosis

Medical examinations and tests, such as an X-ray, CT scan with contrast, electromyography, or MRI, can determine your muscular strength and reflexes. This may assist your doctor in pinpointing the injured nerve root if you suffer discomfort from specific motions. In combination with electromyography, tests can assist in identifying if a condition is neurological or muscular.

Radiculopathy Treatment

Treatment for radiculopathy is determined by the ailment’s location and etiology and several other variables. The following non-surgical treatments are frequently advised first:

Nonsurgical Treatments

• Medications: Such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), narcotic pain relievers, and muscle relaxants, are used to treat symptoms
• Weight-loss: Methods that relieve strain on the problematic region
• Physical therapy: Strengthening the muscles and preventing additional injury with physical therapy
• Steroid injections: Injections of corticosteroids to alleviate inflammation and discomfort

Surgery

Radiculopathy seldom requires surgery. It is recommended only if you have significant symptoms impacting your living quality and if you’re not responding to other therapies.

Risk Factors of Radiculopathy

The following factors can cause radiculopathy:

• Ageing: The discs in the spinal column deteriorate and expand as the body ages causing radiculopathy.
• Being obese: Excess weight might change your spine’s natural shape, causing pressure on the radicular nerves.
• Bad posture: Nerve injury can result from poor spinal posture because nerves are pinched, causing leg or hand stiffness.
• Improper weight lifting: Sudden trauma, bone damage crushing a nerve, or long-term stress damaging back tissues can result in improper weight lifting, causing radiculopathy.
• Repetitive moves: If your profession demands repetitive motions, such as constant sitting, you are more likely to develop radiculopathy.
• Genetic: A history of degenerative bone disease in the family can trigger radiculopathy.

Prevention of Radiculopathy

Some methods may help avoid nerve compression discomfort:

• Proper posture while driving
• Correct lifting techniques
• Exercising regularly, especially weight-bearing exercises
• Building core strength
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Regular pauses and adding stretching into routines help you stay in shape.

Complications of Radiculopathy

Due to poor lifestyles and delayed treatments, radiculopathy may lead to the following complications:

• Thoracic radiculopathy: The complication of thoracic radiculopathy can result in thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), primarily of three types depending on the compressed area, such as neurogenic TOS, venous TOS, and arterial TOS. Different TOS can lead to discoloration of skin, formation of throbbing lump, and loss of sensation.
• Cervical radiculopathy: Cervical radiculopathy can result in Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: chronic neck pain, headache, incomplete neurologic recovery.
• Lumbar radiculopathy: This can result in cauda equina syndrome (medical emergency), muscle atrophy, loss of function.

Epidemiology of Radiculopathy

• Radiculopathy can develop as a consequence of an injury or spontaneously.
• In the lumbosacral spines, it is most common in people between 30 and 50.
• After a radiculopathy episode, patients should expect to recover completely.

Expected Prognosis of Radiculopathy

Though excruciatingly painful and annoying, radiculopathy is typically a short-term problem. It depends on the etiology of the radiculopathy and the type of radiculopathy you have. Most patients feel improvement after a few weeks. It might take longer if you have significant symptoms or other illnesses that impact your spine.

Living with Radiculopathy: Pathophysiology and natural progression

If you acquire new symptoms in the back or along the spine, consult your doctor at once, especially if they worsen over time. Since many illnesses share similar symptoms, it’s critical to see your doctor as soon as possible.

Radiculopathy Vs Neuropathy

The pinching of nerve roots causes radiculopathy, which can cause pain, weakness, and loss of sensation in the hands and wrists. Radiculopathy symptoms might be confused with peripheral neuropathy symptoms, making it harder to establish the cause of the problem. Carpal tunnel syndrome, which includes entrapped nerves in the wrist, is an example of peripheral neuropathy. For a more accurate diagnosis, see a spine specialist.

Radiculopathy Vs Spondylitis

Spondylolysis weakens the connection between your vertebrae. Minor stress fractures might occur, causing pain in your lower back. It is most common in teenagers going through development spurts. Radiculopathy is caused by the bones in the spine sliding out of position, but symptoms like aches are generated by the compression or irritation of your nerve roots, not by a fractured bone.