Radiculopathy is a term used to describe a wide range of symptoms that are produced by the pinching of a nerve root in the spine. This pinching of the nerve can occur in any of the different areas along the spine: cervical, thoracic and lumbar, meaning that the symptoms can also vary depending on the area affected.
Today, we will go over what radiculopathy is and how to manage and eliminate radiculopathy in Webster, Texas. Keep on reading to learn all about this condition.
What Is Radiculopathy?
Radiculopathy is a condition that occurs when one of your nerve roots is compressed or irritated, resulting in the area around your pinched nerve feeling painful, numb or tingly. Other symptoms of radiculopathy can vary by location but frequently include pain, weakness, numbness and tingling.
A common cause of radiculopathy is narrowing of the space where nerve roots exit the spine, which can be a result of stenosis, bone spurs, disc herniation or other conditions. However, radiculopathy symptoms can often be managed with nonsurgical treatments, but minimally invasive surgery can also help some patients.
The importance of visiting a pain management doctor for radiculopathy comes from the fact that you’re probably dealing with pain, and having a right diagnosis can lead you to the best treatment for your case. Depending on where along your spine the pinched nerve is, your healthcare provider will classify the radiculopathy as one of three types:
- Cervical radiculopathy (neck)
- Thoracic radiculopathy (upper middle back)
- Lumbar radiculopathy (low back)
At Space City Pain Specialists, we understand that we don’t just have to manage pain, we have to eliminate it with the best treatments, this is why scheduling an appointment with us will give you the best options to get back to a pain free life.
How Is Radiculopathy Treated?
The best treatment for radiculopathy depends not only on which type of radiculopathy you have, but also on how severe your symptoms are. While there are some people who never need formal treatment if their symptoms improve on their own in a few days or weeks, others must follow a treatment so as to eliminate their pain.
Let’s go over some of the treatments that are useful for radiculopathy:
- Ice or heat: Your healthcare provider will tell you how often to ice or apply heat to your back to reduce swelling or relax tight muscles.
- Adjusting your posture or physical therapy: Stretches and exercises that target the area around your spine can help ease pressure on your nerves and relieve pain. Improving your overall posture can help reduce stress on your spine and relieve your symptoms. Your healthcare provider or physical therapist will advise you on which types of exercises are best for the type of radiculopathy you have.
- Over-the-counter medication: Most people only need over-the-counter medication (like aspirin or ibuprofen) to treat their radiculopathy symptoms.
While it’s rare to need surgery to treat radiculopathy, a healthcare provider can recommend surgery if you have severe symptoms that affect your quality of life and don’t respond to other treatments.
How to Manage Radiculopathy Symptoms
In order to manage your radiculopathy symptoms, talk to our pain management professionals at Space City Pain Specialists about how you can adjust your posture to make your daily routine more comfortable.
However, don’t force yourself to do anything that hurts while you’re recovering, as it might make your symptoms worse. Our professionals will guide you towards the best exercises and explain every stage of the recovery so that you can get back to your everyday life as soon as possible.
Radiculopathy in Webster, Texas
Space City Pain Specialists is a pain management clinic in Webster that strives to give the best treatments for every patient, explaining what the best therapies are for their case and guiding them towards the right treatments.
Schedule an appointment at Space City Pain Specialists today and receive the best treatment for radiculopathy in Webster, Texas.
