cervical radiculopathy

LIKELY CULPRITS:

--Disc herniation accounts for 20-25% of young pt’s cervical radiculopathy

--foraminal narrowing is the most common cause of elderly pt’s symptoms. 

--Risk factors are manual labor, smoking, and driving/operating vibrating equipment.

MRI IN ED? 

--As in lumbar radiculopathy, MRI is the appropriate test but should be limited to those symptomatic after 4-6 weeks of nonsurgical treatment given high frequency of abnormalities detected in asymptomatic adults.


Submitted by T. Boyd.

Reference(s): Carette et al. Cervical Radiculopathy. NEJM. 2005; 353:392-399. Malanga et al. Cervical Radiulopathy. Emedicine. picture