Steemit Learning Challenge-S21W3; Cervical Radiculopathy"

If I talk about cervical radiculopathy then basically word cervical is related to neck level or neck region in medical term, Radiculo is derived from a Latin word which is radiculous (Meaning little root), especially nerve root and pathy meaning disorder or disease so collectively this is basically disorder and cervical level which is caused by compression of nerve loot that originate from cervical spine.

Causes and symptoms

• Cervical radiculopathy can because due to degenerative changes that occurs when a person become agent and in second case it can be due to any trauma or injury at cervical level which can compressed your any cervical nerve and cause limited blood supply in your neck arms or hands.

• Symptoms that a person can feel in cervical radiculopathy are below;

• Patient will feel radiating pain that will start from cervical level and will radiate In arm and hands.
• Patient who will suffering from this condition will feel tingling and numbness and loss of sensations.
• Patient will not be able to perform daily life activities.

Diagnosis

• A multi directional diagnostic approach will be used for diagnosing that is a particular condition cervical radiculopathy or something else so in clinical investigations spurling test and cervical distraction tests are most important to perform and in investigatory tests EMG,NCS,MRI,CT scan and X-rays are helpful in identifying the condition by the help of bones degenerative changes and most specifically by any abnormality in bone positioning or any soft tissue injury etc.

Diagnosis can be made with this step by step approach;

Physical evaluation

• If a patient is complaining that there is pain which is radiating from neck towards arm s and hands as well as there is also tingling and numbness sensation with paint then it means that it is an indication of nerve compression or radiculopathy at cervical level.

• If patient is appearing with all these clinical symptoms then now physician should apply some of the special tests for diagnostic purpose.

Spurling test

In this special test patient will sit and physician will apply a gentle pressure with his hand by standing at behind the patient. Pressure would be applied at head of the patient so that if there is compression of nerves then pain may get
worsen after applying pressure and it will be checked within duration of 20-30 seconds. If pain of a person is getting worsen then now you are closer to making a diagnosis.

Cervical distraction test

In this special test again you will perform it on your patient for making diagnosis more stronger so patient and physician positioning will be same but in this test physician will not apply pressure,but instead of applying pressure he will try to give a traction to cervical spines by placing his fingers at head and thumbs at occipit. If after doing this patient gets relief in his arm movement or head movement then now your diagnosis is almost complete but still for confirmation there is requirement of some of the diagnostic test.

Diagnostic tests

• Ask patient to bring current X-ray of cervical spine to check if there is any degeneration or herniation of vertebrae present.

• Ask the patient to bring his report of medical imaging resonance to check soft structures around cervical spine that are they compressed or not.

• Ask the patient to go for investigation test of nerve conduction studies so that position may know that what is the speed of nerve conduction.

• At last Electromyography can also be an investigation test for making diagnosis.

How much clinical symptoms,special tests and investigation counts for making diagnosis?

Isometric cervical extension
Slight extension of neck and strengthening of back muscles of head and neck by placing hand at back of head

Trying to perform scalene stretch

It's most effective if it is done with both arms but for capturing my picture I am doing it in this way 🌝

Isometric cervical rotation

Slight neck rotation and strengthening of neck rotators.

Here I am sharing review of exercises performed at myself;

• First I performed cervical extension isometric and this is a strengthening exercise in which length of cervical extension remain same.
• This was strengthening exercise so I was feeling strength in my posterior neck and head muscles because in start I was not able to bear resistance of my hand with more than 10 seconds but after that at last I performed it with 20 seconds hold which is a lot of improvement after just 8 repetitions.
• I tried to perform scalene stretch but it was not fully stretching because my position was not totally right because from one of my hand I have to take my picture also but I was feeling little relief in my muscles which was slightly stretching.
• At last after 8 repetitions I felt similar relief which I felt in cervical extension isometric but here I feel a lot of strength in cervical rotation when I performed cervical rotation isometric.

I want to invite here @ahsansharif,@drhira,@faran-nabeel to participate