What causes cervical radiculopathy?

What causes cervical radiculopathy?

Cervical radiculopathy happens when a nerve root in your neck (cervical spine) becomes compressed (pinched) and inflamed.

This compression has two main causes:

• Degenerative changes that happen in your spine as you age (cervical spondylosis).
• A herniated (bulging) disk in your neck.

Cervical spondylosis and cervical radiculopathy

The majority of cases of cervical radiculopathy are due to cervical spondylosis.

Cervical spondylosis is a general term for age-related wear and tear (degenerative changes) in your cervical spine (neck) that can lead to neck pain, neck stiffness and other symptoms. Sometimes, this condition is called arthritis or osteoarthritis of the neck.

As you age, the disks in your spine between your vertebrae lose height and begin to bulge. They also become less jelly-like and become stiffer. This problem causes the collapse of the disk spaces and loss of disk space height.

As the disks lose height, your vertebrae move closer together. Your body responds to the collapsed disk by forming more bone — called bone spurs (osteophytes) — around the disk to strengthen it. These bone spurs can narrow the foramen — the small openings on each side of your spinal column where the nerve roots exit — and pinch the nerve root. This is called foraminal stenosis. The pinched nerve root causes cervical radiculopathy.

Herniated disks and cervical radiculopathy

Through aging or an injury, the outer layer of a vertebra disk can weaken and crack. A herniated disk happens when the inner “jelly” substance of the disk pushes through the crack.

A herniated disk causes cervical radiculopathy when the leaked material from a disk in your neck presses on nearby spinal nerves.

Several factors can contribute to a cervical herniated disk, including:

• Aging.
• Repetitive neck motions.
• Lack of regular exercise.
• Poor posture.
• Incorrect lifting or twisting, causing additional stress on your neck.
• Injury to your neck.

Cervical radiculopathy caused by a herniated disk is more common in people up to 50 years old.