Radiculopathy is a common cause of pain in the arms, legs, shoulders, and back. At Spine Pain Be Gone Clinic, Dr. Guy Fogel helps patients from San Antonio, TX, understand the causes of radiculopathy and get the treatment they need for optimal long-term relief of symptoms.
Radiculopathy is a condition that occurs when a nerve in the spine becomes pinched or compressed. While it can occur anywhere in the spine, it's more likely to occur in the neck (cervical radiculopathy) or lower back (lumbar radiculopathy). Thoracic radiculopathy in the mid back region is less common since this portion of the back is more stable and less likely to be subjected to the same degree of stress and torsion as the neck and lower back.
The most common causes of radiculopathy include:
Cervical radiculopathy occurs in the neck portion of the spine, causing symptoms in the neck, shoulders, arms and fingers. Symptoms can include:
Symptoms of lumbar radiculopathy are similar to those experienced with cervical radiculopathy – pain, weakness, numbness and tingling sensations – except they affect the lower back, hips, buttocks, legs and feet.
Diagnosis begins with a physical examination to evaluate the range of motion, strength, reflexes and other factors affected by radiculopathy. Diagnostic imaging tests like x-ray, CT scans or MRIs may also be performed. In some cases, nerve conduction studies may be ordered to pinpoint the specific location of nerve involvement and to confirm the diagnosis of radiculopathy.
Often, radiculopathy will resolve on its own with rest and therapeutic exercise. Oral medication and injections at the site of compression can help relieve pain and swelling to promote symptom resolution. In more severe cases where conservative approaches are not effective in achieving relief, surgery may be needed to relieve the pressure on the nerve.
"He is warm, friendly, courteous and polite. He takes his time and answers all your questions. He did a lumbar fusion on me and I have had no problems."
"Dr. Fogel is the most caring Dr. I have ever met. He always takes the extra time to make sure I understand everything that is going on in my treatment."
"The best doctor I ever met and his staff go way beyond expectations to try to help. Seeing him was the best thing I ever did."
"Dr. Fogel's surgical procedure on my spine three years ago totally eliminated my back pain. I highly recommend Dr. Fogel to any one needing back pain relief."
"He is an awesome doc! I highly recommend Dr. Fogel. I can say that I have my life back and can do a lot of things that I couldn't do before my surgeries."
"They do their utmost best to get their patients back to living as well and as actively as possible. You will not find a better spinal team!"
"Dr. Fogel is awesome! He was very clear on my diagnosis and his recommendation of the procedure that I needed to fix the problem in my spine."
