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It another new week with new learning challenge. After digesting my teacher's explanation on cervical rediaculopathy, I was motivated to submit my homework task for the week, Please read my opinion below 👇.
What's Cervical Radiculopathy? Write in your own words after getting knowledge from the lesson post.
Cervical rediaculopathy is a condition that results in neurological dysfunction frequently cause by inflammation of the nerve root of the cervical spine.
Neurological dysfunction means that there is an impairment in the normal functioning of the nervous system. It might be any of the two nervous system which is either in central nervous system or the peripheral nervous system. This situation may cause a numbness, radiating pain and muscle weakness.The pain cause by this disease may vary from one individual to another, which means it may be acute or chronic depending on the patient's duration of pain initiation.
Another name for cervical rediaculopathy is pinched nerve. So cervical rediaculopathy or pinched nerve is a disease condition that affect upper extremities (one or both) especially due to compression ethier one or more cervical nerve root. Medically, we can say that cervical rediaculopathy is a condition that affects the neck region (cervical spine). It happens when the roof nerve of the neck become compress or inflamed causing pains, numbness, tingling in the neck, hand, arm and shoulder.
The nerve root that is involved is always C6 and C7 because they both performs wrist extension and flexion. All human has 7 vertebrate in this cervical region and 8 cervical nerve root and if any is affected it causes disease or cervical rediaculopathy. This condition usually affects men more than women and the age at peak of having this disease is between 50 to 70 years of age.
If any individual has sharp or burning pain, tingling sensation that radiates from the neck to arm, shoulder and hand regions, numbness, weakness or difficulties in holding object, sensory change (abnormal sensation like electric shock or needle prick) which means he or she is having symptoms of cervical rediaculopathy, such individual need to visit a healthcare provider for diagnosis and invention.
There are various causes of cervical rediaculopathy. It includes Degenerative, traumatic, inflammation or infectious, Neoplastic causes.
I want to mention three of each cause although they are more than that.
- In Degenerative cause, it consists of Osteophytes formation, facet joint osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis which narrowing of the spinal canal.
In traumatic causes, it involves cervical spine fractures, Accident or sports related injuries and dislocation or subluxations.
Inflammation or infectious cause it includes Abscesses or cysts, osteomyelitis, Discitis and Ankylosing spondylitis.
Neoplastic causes consist of Primary tumour and Benign tumors( meningioma) and lot more.
How would you diagnose a Cervical Radiculopathy? Any clinical investigation or assessment tests?
Cervical rediaculopathy can be diagnosed in numerous ways and is all about meeting expert in this particular field of study. They will carry out combination of clinical evaluation, physical examination, Imaging studies, laboratory tests and other special test.
The doctor start by asking you about questions on your general health, medical history, present symptoms and history of accident or injuries.They will carry out palpation to check if there is any muscle spasms or tenderness. Percussion to rule out pain and numbness,
He or she will examine your neck, arm, shoulder and hand, check for muscle weakness and strength, ask about different sensation while checking for changes in reflexes. Since the disease can affect either one or both sides of the body.
Your doctor will also compare the sensation results and tell you the most affected side, if it is left or right side. They will also test you on the four range of motion (which forward bending, backward bending, side to side and ear to shoulder bending). On your own, your doctor will ask you to perform some certain neck movement so as to relieve some symptoms.
Imaging studies.
Spine x-ray: The test is carryout to show images of the neck and upper extremities pain, evaluate bone structure and alignments. The views is capable of revealing issue like stenosis or disk space narrowing.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): this helps in best visualisations soft tissue abnormalities, including compressed nerve and herniated disks.
Computed tomography (CT) scan: It provides a detailed images of disc, bone, soft tissue and traumatic injury.
Electromyography (EMG)*:This test help to determine if a patient's nerve is working normally.
Nerve conduction studies (NCS) This helps in evaluating the patient nerve function and spend.
Somatosensory Evoked potential (SSEP): This test is carried out to measure patients nerve signal transmission.
Laboratory Diagnostic tests include:,
- Bone Density Test (DXA).
- Blood Test
- Discography.
Other special test include
- Valsalva Test.
- Shoulder Flexion test.
- Cervical Traction test
- Spurling Test
- Elbow flexion test.
Try to practice at least 3 exercises that you have learned from the lesson. Share images, gifs or videos while practising.
For this week course, I choose three exercise which is isometric Neck Retraction, isometric Cervical Rotation and Upper Trapezius Stretch .
Isometrics Neck Extension
The first exercise is isometric Neck Retractions because I feel that it is amongst the simplest of all. This exercise is carried out when a patient use arms muscles along with neck muscles. It also helps in stretching of pectoralis major muscle since I place my arms behind the head.
Isometric Cervical Rotation:
This exercise can be done on both sides which is right & left to improve rotation on both sides.The main aim of the exercises is to improve neck rotation as a patient feel difficult to complete the range of motion due to pain and restriction range of motion.
Upper Trapezius Stretch:
This exercise helps in rapid pain reduction and also helps to improve shortened muscle because some muscles reduce in their length in pain phase of compensation.
Share your review after performing these exercises either on yourself, healthy individual or patient.
I use myself as a healthy individuals, I had a little radiating pain after a stressful day of works and sitting in my laptop to write post on steemit platform. Seeing this challenge l decided to do this exercise so as to strengthen the muscles of my hand, arms and shoulders.
Before carrying out this exercise, i was having a little pain but after the exercises I didn't notice such. This means that the exercise is really helpful resulting in fast recovery of pains.
In this case, I can advise people that, if we maintain a healthy body weight, Stay physically fit, Practice good posture, doing stretching exercises to keep our muscles strong and flexible and this can go along way in reducing cervical rediaculopathy.
My special thanks goes to @ashkhan providing this educative information and I would like to invite @ninapenda, @eliany , @crismenia and @alexanderpeace to share their entry with us.
Thank you for understanding the lesson and sharing your assignment; I hope that you will enjoy this week's lesson and try to implement it in your life if you see any such case.
Observations
Task 1 (3/3)
You have shared a great knowledge about cervical radiculopathy, and it's cause, symptoms, treatment, also the vertebrae involve in cervical radiculopathy. I appreciate your effort.
Task 2 (2.8/3)
In the second question, you tell us about how you have to assess a patient by doing the physical examination, history taking, investigations of patients and specialized tests. You have share good knowledge but try to perform or write how we perform a special test on a patient to assess it. Great.
Task 3 (2/4)
You try the isometric neck rotation, extension and upper Trapezoius stretch. But while performing Isometric exercises you have to apply resistance & apply that much force that didn't allow head movement. Stretch should be applied for 5 to 10 seconds for effectiveness. Remember always apply heating pad to relax your muscles before performing these exercises. I appreciate your efforts.
Overall you made a great attempt to answer all the questions except question 3. I appreciate your efforts. But next time try to avoid the above written suggestions. Keep learning and try to implement your knowledge to the people suffering from any cervical radiculopathy. Thank you.
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