Cervical Radiculopathy Diagnosis and Treatment Approaches

Cervical radiculopathy arises when a nerve root in the cervical spine is compressed or irritated, resulting in pain, sensory changes and motor deficits radiating into the upper limb. Diagnosis combines a detailed history, clinical examination and imaging to confirm nerve root involvement and rule out mimicking conditions. Provocative tests, such as the Spurling’s manoeuvre, help to localise the affected level, while magnetic resonance imaging visualises structural causes such as disc herniation, spondylosis or foraminal stenosis. Electrophysiological studies can further delineate nerve conduction abnormalities where diagnosis remains uncertain.

Treatment spans conservative to surgical approaches. Initial management commonly includes activity modification, analgesics, physiotherapy and targeted manual therapy to restore mobility and relieve neural tension. Advances in exercise prescription emphasise motor control, stretching and strengthening to support spinal stability. Traction and cervical orthoses may provide short-term relief, though evidence varies. Interventional measures such as epidural steroid injections are reserved for refractory pain. Surgical decompression, performed via anterior cervical discectomy or posterior foraminotomy, is indicated when severe or progressive neurological deficits occur or when conservative care fails. Globally, multidisciplinary models integrating evidence-based conservative regimes with timely surgical referral have improved functional outcomes and reduced chronicity, with ongoing research refining patient selection and optimising rehabilitation protocols.

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Cervical Radiculopathy Diagnosis and Treatment Approaches publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in cervical radiculopathy diagnosis and treatment approaches across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Cervical radiculopathy: Dysfunction of a cervical nerve root causing radiating arm pain, sensory changes or motor weakness.

Spurling’s test: A clinical manoeuvre involving cervical extension and axial compression to provoke nerve‐root symptoms.

Anterior cervical discectomy: Surgical removal of an intervertebral disc via an anterior approach to relieve nerve‐root compression.

Manual therapy: Hands‐on techniques including mobilisation and manipulation applied to spinal joints and surrounding soft tissues.

References

1. Diagnostic accuracy of patient interview items and clinical tests for cervical radiculopathy. Physiotherapy (2020).
2. A randomised controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of surgical and nonsurgical treatment for cervical radiculopathy. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders (2020).
3. Manual Therapy as a Management of Cervical Radiculopathy: A Systematic Review. BioMed Research International (2021).
4. An ICON Overview on Physical Modalities for Neck Pain and Associated Disorders. The Open Orthopaedics Journal (2013).