Cervical Radiculopathy and Myelopathy: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
To help you discuss cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy symptoms and treatment options with your orthopedic surgeon, here's a breakdown of these conditions.
Cervical Spine Anatomy
The spine or backbone, includes bony segments called vertebrae and fibrous tissue called intervertebral discs. The spine provides stability, enables smooth movement, and protects the delicate spinal cord.
The cervical spine, or neck, is the first seven stacked vertebral bones of the spine. When an intervertebral disc in the neck is torn, it causes disc protrusions, also known as herniated discs. This places pressure on nerve roots or the spinal cord, which can result in radiculopathy and myelopathy. Symptoms of radiculopathy and myelopathy include tremendous pain, loss of movement, and decreased function.
What Is Cervical Radiculopathy and Myelopathy?
Cervical radiculopathy is a condition that results from compression on an individual nerve root in the neck. Myelopathy results from spinal cord compression, and can affect the entire spinal cord. While radiculopathy and myelopathy are different, they frequently occur together.
Causes of Cervical Radiculopathy and Myelopathy
Conditions that can cause cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy include:
- Degenerative disc disease: Wear and tear of the discs between the vertebrae, causing them to lose their cushioning ability.
- Spinal stenosis: Narrowing of the spinal canal due to age, most commonly due to degenerative arthritis.
- Degenerative spondylolisthesis: Wear and tear of the vertebral components, causing slippage of a vertebra onto another, spinal stenosis, and narrowing of the spinal canal.
Symptoms of Cervical Radiculopathy and Myelopathy
Cervical radiculopathy can cause pain, numbness, or weakness in the shoulder, arm, wrist or hand. Myelopathy can cause weakness, problems manipulating small objects and difficulty with a normal gait.
Diagnosis of Cervical Radiculopathy and Myelopathy
To diagnose and develop a treatment plan for cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy, your orthopedic surgeon will perform the following:
- Medical history: Your orthopedic surgeon will gather a detailed history of your symptoms and any treatments.
- Complete physical examination: Your orthopedic surgeon will perform a thorough examination of your body movements, including examining the back to assess flexibility, range of motion, and the presence of certain signs that suggest nerve roots are being affected.
- Investigations: Your orthopedic surgeon will order a spine X-ray to rule out other causes. Sometimes, your surgeon may also order a CT scan or MRI to get a more detailed examination of the bone or soft tissues.
Treatment for Cervical Radiculopathy and Myelopathy
Your orthopedic surgeon will likely recommend conservative treatment measures for radiculopathy and myelopathy, such as rest, medication, physical therapy, and pain-blocking injections. If those prove ineffective, your orthopedic surgeon may recommend spine surgery.
Surgical treatment options for radiculopathy and myelopathy include:
- Anterior Cervical Discectomy Fusion (ACDF): Removing the disc, and fusing the two vertebrae above and below it with a bone graft.
- Cervical Disc Replacement Surgery: Replacing the herniated disc with an artificial disc to preserve your neck’s movement and flexibility.
Surgical treatment options specifically for myelopathy include:
- Decompressive laminectomy and fusion: Removing a portion of the bone or lamina causing pressure on the nerves, and transplanting a piece of bone from another part of the body between the adjacent spinal bones (vertebrae). As healing occurs, the bone fuses with the spine.
Do you or your doctor suspect you have cervical radiculopathy and/or myelopathy? Don’t let your symptoms result in suffering. There are surgical and non-surgical treatment options to treat your pain, restore your mobility, and get your life back. Let us help treat your cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy.