CERVICAL RADICULOPATHY

Course overview

NECK PAIN IS WIDESPREAD AND CAUSES SIGNIFICANT PAIN AND DISABILITY. WORKERS WITH A HISTORY OF NECK PAIN ACCOUNT FOR UP TO 40% OF WORK ABSENTEEISM. IN THE SETTING OF CERVICAL RADICULOPATHY, BECAUSE THE NERVE ROOT OF A SPINAL NERVE IS COMPRESSED OR OTHERWISE IMPAIRED THE PAIN AND SYMPTOMATOLOGY CAN SPREAD FAR FROM THE NECK AND RADIATES TO ARM, NECK, CHEST, UPPER BACK AND/OR SHOULDERS. OFTEN MUSCLE WEAKNESS AND IMPAIRED DEEP TENDON REFLEXES ARE NOTED ALONG THE COURSE OF THE SPINAL NERVE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF CERVICAL SPINE RADICULOPATHY AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.