How is cervical radiculopathy diagnosed?

How is cervical radiculopathy diagnosed?

You’ll want to visit your healthcare provider about your pinched nerve if it’s not responding to conservative treatment at home.

Your healthcare provider will ask about your:

• Medical history.
• General health.
• History of injuries or accidents.
• Symptoms.

They’ll then examine your neck, shoulder, arms and hands. They’ll look for muscle weakness, check for changes in reflexes and ask about the different sensations you’re feeling. Since cervical radiculopathy almost always affects one side of your body (is unilateral), your healthcare provider will compare the sensations you feel on one side of your body to your other side.

Your healthcare provider may also ask you to perform certain neck and arm movements to try to recreate and/or relieve your symptoms.

Cervical radiculopathy can be difficult to diagnose, as many other neurological conditions, such as neuropathy, can cause pain and numbness. Because of this, you may need to undergo certain imaging tests so your healthcare provider can confirm a cervical radiculopathy diagnosis.