Pinched Nerve Neck Pain Doctors NYC: Cervical Radiculopathy
At Manhattan Pain and Sports Associates you’ll get the neck nerve pain (cervical radiculopathy) management and doctor’s care you need to reduce or eliminate your acute or chronic neck nerve pain. Because when you’re in neck pain — whether it’s from an accident, sports injury, computer strain, age, or ailment — you want pain relief quickly. Appropriate and targeted neck nerve pain management and treatment starts with a proper diagnosis from your NYC neck pain management doctor.
Your cervical spine is at the top of your back and includes your neck; these bones are sometimes referred to as C1 through C7. Cervical radiculopathy is the term used to describe any kind of condition that affects the nerves in your cervical spinal column.
Nerves run out from each vertebra in C1 through C6, sending information to the muscles in your arms, shoulders, hands and fingers. These nerves also send information the other way, so that you can register sensations in your skin and muscles in those areas. Since the vast jumble of nerves serve so many moving parts in your body, when any one of the nerve roots in your spine becomes irritated, the pain can show up in a variety of places.
Nerve Damage Symptoms
When one of the nerve roots in your cervical spine is damaged, the symptoms that occur are called radicular pain. It may remain isolated or cause your arm to get weak or go numb. Sometimes, the pain starts in your shoulder and then moves down through your arm to your fingers.
Pain from the nerve damage can feel like a dull ache or it can feel sharp or burning. You may describe it as a tingling sensation, as if pins and needles are sticking in your arm. It may feel better when you put your hand behind your head. The times that you feel the pain can vary as well. It may happen:
- Turning your head from side to side
- Rotating your head
- Bending your neck forward
How It Happens
Because the nerves in your neck are so well protected, there usually are only a few major causes of cervical radiculopathy. You may develop the condition because you have:
- A degenerative disc disease that causes your vertebrae to stop protecting the nerves and put pressure directly on them
- A herniated disc that becomes inflamed or leaks out, putting pressure on the nerves
- Spinal stenosis, which causes your spinal joints to tighten and place pressure on the nerves
Let’s Figure It Out
When you come in for an exam, your NYC pain management doctor initially asks about your medical history and then requests a detailed description of your discomfort, including when and how it occurs. An accurate diagnose of cervical radiculopathy can be confirmed with an MRI or X-rays, as they show exactly where your problem nerve is impinged.
If the cause of your pain is less evident, the pain management specialist may order an EMG, a nerve test that can confirm the location of the nerve pressure. The test shows how much or how little the nerve is being compressed and how much it is inflamed. It also can rule out other reasons for the impingements, such as peripheral pressures from other bones or muscles.
Neck Pain Treatment
Treatment often begins with non-invasive techniques such as physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medication. Stretching and working on maintaining good posture helps alleviate your discomfort as well. A steroid injection can reduce severe inflammation so that you can participate in healing exercises. Only in rare cases is surgery required.
Get the Cervical Radiculopathy Pain Relief You Need
Your NYC neck pain management doctor’s goal is to get you back to your normal routine with minimal downtime. After your diagnosis is confirmed, your doctor begins your neck pain management and treatment plan with the most conservative pain relief treatment. You’ll always receive non-invasive pain relief before your doctor turns to more invasive procedures like surgery.
Manhattan Pain and Sports Associates
51 East 25th St, 4th Floor, Ste B
New York, NY 10010
(212) 533-3954
