Radiculopathy: Symptoms, Definition, Treatments, And More

Maybe your like

Medical News TodaySubscribeRadiculopathy: Everything you should know

Medically reviewed by Heidi Moawad, M.D. — Written by Lori Smith, MSN, BSN, WHNP-BC — Updated on November 8, 2023

What is radiculopathy?
Causes and risk factors
Radiculopathy symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
FAQs
Summary

Radiculopathy, or a pinched nerve in the spine, can cause symptoms, including pain, weakness, and numbness. Pain relievers, steroids, and physical therapy can help treat radiculopathy. A doctor may recommend surgery in some cases.

Radiculopathy is a general term that refers to the symptoms caused by a nerve root that is pinched as it exits the spinal column. This can happen in any part of the back and includes sciatica, cervical radiculopathy, and thoracic radiculopathy.

Read more to learn about what causes radiculopathy, what it feels like, and how to treat it.

What is radiculopathy?

An image highlighting a person's spine. — James Ross/Getty Images

The spine is a stacked structure made up of 33 bones or vertebrae held in place by a network of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Nerves extend from the spine to other areas of the body, such as the arms and legs.

Each region of the spine has a specific name and function. They are the:

cervical spine or neck
thoracic spine or mid-back
lumbar spine or lower back
sacrum, connecting the spine to the hips
coccyx or tail bone

Each vertebra is cushioned from its neighbor by an intervertebral disc. This prevents the vertebrae from rubbing on top of each other.

When injuries occur, these discs can become damaged or inflamed, which can cause compression or irritation of a nearby nerve root. Depending on which nerve is compressed, a person can experience pain or other symptoms in regions that correspond to that nerve function.

Although people can develop radiculopathy as the result of an injury, it may occur without an immediate trigger.

Radiculopathy causes and risk factors

Degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis most commonly cause radiculopathy. However, a variety of conditions or injuries can cause it, including:

herniated discs
spinal stenosis, a condition where the spinal canal narrows
bone spurs
spinal tumors
osteoarthritis or spinal arthritis
compression fractures
spondylolisthesis (when a vertebra moves and rests on the vertebra below)
scoliosis
diabetes

Additional risk factors for developing radiculopathy include:

aging
heavy lifting
prolonged repetitive movements
operating vibrating equipment
smoking

Radiculopathy symptoms

Because the nerves extending from the spinal cord travel to different parts of the body, people will experience different symptoms depending on which nerve root is compressed.

Cervical radiculopathy

Cervical radiculopathy occurs when a nerve root in the neck or upper back is compressed. Symptoms include:

pain in the neck, shoulder, upper back, or arm
muscle weakness
radiating pain

Thoracic radiculopathy

Thoracic radiculopathy happens when nerve root compression or irritation occurs in the mid-back region. This is an uncommon condition that may be misdiagnosed as shingles, heart, abdominal, or gallbladder complications.

Symptoms associated with thoracic radiculopathy include:

burning or shooting pain in the rib, side, or abdomen
band-like pain
numbness and tingling

Lumbar radiculopathy

A person may experience pain in the low back, legs, and hips when the nerve root compression or irritation occurs in the lower part of the back.

Lumbar radiculopathy is also known as sciatica. Symptoms include pain and numbness in the low back, hips, buttock, leg, or foot, ad they are usually made worse with long periods of sitting or walking.

In some cases, nerves affecting the bowel and bladder can become compressed, leading to bowel or bladder incontinence or loss of control.

Other generalized symptoms may include:

sharp pain starting in the back
sharp pain with sitting or coughing
numbness or weakness in the leg and foot
numbness or tingling in the back or leg
sensation or reflex changes, hypersensitivity

Diagnosing radiculopathy

In addition to a physical exam and symptom review, doctors may diagnose radiculopathy using:

Imaging tests: These include X-ray, MRI, and CT scans.
Nerve function tests: This can be electrical impulse testing called electromyography (EMG).

Treatment for radiculopathy

Typically, radiculopathy is treatable without surgery. Depending on the severity, a doctor may recommend medication, including:

non-steroidal drugs, such as ibuprofen, aspirin or naproxen
oral corticosteroids or injectable steroids
pain medications, such as gabapentin

They may also recommend other treatments, such as:

physical therapy
a soft cervical collar
ice and heat application

In some cases, doctors may recommend surgery to treat the cause of the nerve compression. Some surgical procedures include repair of a herniated disc, widening of the spinal canal space, removing a bone spur, or fusing the bones.

Preventing radiculopathy

Some strategies may prevent nerve compression pain. These include:

maintaining good posture, even when driving
proper lifting techniques
performing regular physical activity
developing core strength
maintaining a moderate weight
stretching regularly

FAQs

Below are the answers to some commonly asked questions.

Does radiculopathy ever go away?

Yes, radiculopathy can go away with proper treatment. A doctor may recommend pain relief medications in addition to physical therapy, ice, heat, and more.

Is radiculopathy the same as sciatica?

Not technically — sciatica is a type of radiculopathy. All sciatica is radiculopathy. However, not all radiculopathy is sciatica.

How long does radiculopathy take to heal?

This depends on what type of radiculopathy a person has and how it is treated. Some can resolve quickly — for example, steroid injections can provide relief in as little as 2 weeks. However, it can take months or years to resolve.

What happens if cervical radiculopathy is left untreated?

If it remains untreated, a person’s pain will likely get worse. The damage can also get worse, and in some cases, may be permanent.

Is cervical radiculopathy a disability?

Not necessarily. If a person’s condition is serious and debilitating enough, it may be considered a disability. However, not all people with radiculopathy experience significant disabilities.

To legally be considered a disability in the United States, a person with radiculopathy must have:

aresthesia, or muscle fatigue
neurological symptoms on physical exam
a test showing nerve root damage (CT, MRI, or X-ray)
a need for assistive devices such as crutches or a walker

Summary

Radiculopathy happens when a nerve root in the spine is pinched or damaged. It can cause symptoms including pain, weakness, and numbness.

A person can manage the condition with medication, physical therapy, and immobilization. In some cases, a doctor may recommend surgery.

Back Pain
Body Aches
Bones / Orthopedics
Pain / Anesthetics

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Alexander, C. E., et al. (2022). Lumbosacral radiculopathy. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430837/
Berry, J. A., et al. (2019). A review of lumbar radiculopathy, diagnosis, and treatment. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6858271/
Cervical radiculopathy and disability benefits. (2022).https://www.disabilitylawfirmnc.com/cervical-radiculopathy-and-disability-benefits/
Magnus, W., et al. (2021). Cervical radiculopathy.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441828/
Radiculopathy. (n.d.).https://www.neurosurgery.columbia.edu/patient-care/conditions/radiculopathy
Sattar, M. H., et al. (2021). Anatomy, back, sacral vertebrae.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551653/
Simotas, A. C. (2020). Cervical radiculopathy: Non-operative treatments and cervical epidural steroid injection.https://www.hss.edu/conditions_cervical-radiculopathy-nonoperative-treatments-epidural.asp
Thoracic radiculopathy/myelopathy. (2021).https://now.aapmr.org/thoracic-radiculopathymyelopathy/

Share this article

Medically reviewed by Heidi Moawad, M.D. — Written by Lori Smith, MSN, BSN, WHNP-BC — Updated on November 8, 2023

Latest news

Could the gut be driving age-related memory loss?
Blood test may predict dementia up to 25 years before symptom onset in women
Water sources may affect Parkinson's disease risk: What to know
How might estrogen affect hypertension risk at menopause?
Routine mammograms may help predict heart disease, study suggests

Related Coverage

Chronic back pain: A 10-minute treatment leaves patients pain-free
Researchers reveal how a 10-minute, CT-guided pulsed radiofrequency technique alleviated chronic back pain for more than 80 percent of study subjects.
READ MORE
Water sources may affect Parkinson's disease risk: What to know
Where drinking water comes from and what it contains may affect Parkinson's disease risk, a recent study suggests.
READ MORE
What is an altered mental status?
Altered mental status can refer to any change in a person's awareness, cognition, or behavior. Read more.
READ MORE
Common and severe side effects of Miplyffa and how to manage them
These are the common, mild, and serious side effects of Miplyffa, and what are the best ways to manage or prevent them.
READ MORE
What is conduction aphasia?Medically reviewed by Nancy Hammond, M.D.
Conduction aphasia is typically a milder type of aphasia that affects a person's ability to repeat words or phrases back to others. Learn more here.
READ MORE

Tag » Active Right L5 Radiculopathy

Radiculopathy: Symptoms, Definition, Treatments, And More

What is radiculopathy?

Radiculopathy causes and risk factors

Radiculopathy symptoms

Cervical radiculopathy

Thoracic radiculopathy

Lumbar radiculopathy

Diagnosing radiculopathy

Treatment for radiculopathy

Preventing radiculopathy

FAQs

Does radiculopathy ever go away?

Is radiculopathy the same as sciatica?

How long does radiculopathy take to heal?

What happens if cervical radiculopathy is left untreated?

Is cervical radiculopathy a disability?

Summary

How we reviewed this article:

Latest news

Related Coverage

L5 Radiculopathy Caused By L5 Nerve Root Entrapment By An L5-S1 ...

Lumbar Radiculopathy - Spine-health

A Review Of Lumbar Radiculopathy, Diagnosis, And Treatment - NCBI

Radiculopathy | Johns Hopkins Medicine

Lumbar Radiculopathy - Physiopedia

Peroneal Neuropathy Misdiagnosed As L5 Radiculopathy: A Case Report

Sciatica And Radiculopathy: Peculiar Names For Shooting Back, Leg Pain

Physical Therapy Guide To Lumbar Radiculopathy And Sciatica

Radiculopathy - An Overview | ScienceDirect Topics

How Long Does It Take To Heal From Radiculopathy?

Conservative Treatment Versus Surgery For Lumbosacral ...

Lumbar Radiculopathy - Symptoms, Causes And Treatments

Lumbar Radiculopathy

Contact