For An Appointment Today
151-44 82nd St. Howard Beach, N.Y. 11414
NYpain7@gmail.com
Glenn Lee Goldstein, D.O.
Diplomate, American Academy of Pain Management
Call 718-233-1028

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Cervical Radiculopathy
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Cervical Disc Herniation


CERVICAL DISC HERNIATION with RADICULOPATHY, describe a condition
where one of the intervertebral discs in in the cervical spine (neck) herniates
and contacts a nerve inside the spinal canal, or as a nerve leaves the spine
through the holes that these nerves normally pass through called foramen.
The condition where a herniated or bulging disc contacts a spinal nerve
causing pain in the arm or hand is called a "Cervical Radiculopathy".
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
Depending on which spinal nerve is involved, pain may be experienced as a
burning, numbness/tingling, or sharp and intense pain radiating down one
arm or infrequently both arms. The pain may travel into one or several fingers
of the hand, depending on the particular disc level in the spine and the nerve
involved. There may or may not be weakness in one or more muscle in the
shoulder, arm or hand.
HOW DOES IT START?
Beginning in the early 20's some people have changes in the proteins in the intervertebral discs which absorb water and keep the disc hydrated. The disc
then starts to dessicate or "dry out" and become more brittle. At some point, with or without trauma, the inner part of the disc called the "nucleus" may bulge out or herniate outside of the outer layer of the disc (called the annulus). If this disc herniation happens to contact a nerve root in the spine, it will cause pain which radiates into the upper extremity in the area of the arm or hand. The location of your pain in the arm or hand will depend on which nerve is
involved, and where it normally is responsible for carrying painful signals to
the brain from.
TREATMENT initially consists of pain medications, Physical Therapy.
If symptoms persist or become unbearable, these interventions will
usually be quite helpful/curative:
1. Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection
2. Cervical Discectomy, (with or without fusion)