Neck & Head
Cervical Radiculopathy
Also called: Pinched nerve in the neck
Irritation or compression of a nerve root as it exits the neck — usually from a disc herniation or arthritic narrowing of the exit canal. The hallmark is symptoms that follow a specific path down the arm, matching the nerve involved.
Common signs
- Shooting, electric, or burning pain from neck into the arm
- Numbness/tingling in a specific finger pattern
- Weakness in specific arm muscles
- Symptoms reproduced by tilting the head back toward the painful side
Seek help now if
- Rapidly progressing weakness
- Both arms involved, or legs affected
- Loss of coordination, balance problems, or bladder changes
If any of these is sudden or severe, call 911 or go to an emergency room. For the others, get examined before you start self-care.
What to do first
- A precise exam maps which nerve root is involved — this drives everything else
- Positions that relieve the arm pain (often hand on head) are safe to use liberally
- Avoid extremes of looking up and to the painful side early on
- Most cases improve substantially within 4–6 weeks of appropriate care
The longer road
- Persistent cases warrant MRI and possibly nerve conduction studies to grade the compression
- Long-standing radiculopathy responds to a combination of decompression strategies, nerve glides, and progressive strengthening
- Keep a symptom map over time — shrinking territory means healing
Natural healing options we use
- Chiropractic care including traction-based techniques
- Neural mobilization for the involved nerve
- PEMF and attended e-stim
- Anti-inflammatory nutrition (omega-3s, turmeric, adequate protein)
- Graded strengthening as symptoms centralize
About imaging
MRI when symptoms persist, weakness is present, or the exam and history don't match. Electrodiagnostics (EMG/NCS) help when the picture is unclear or multiple sites could be involved.
Daily self-care
- Use the position of relief often (typically hand on head)
- Nerve glides as instructed — gentle, never into sharp pain
- Watch grip strength weekly; report any decline promptly
How we can help
Spinal Decompression Therapy
Learn more →Chiropractic Adjustments
Learn more →PEMF Therapy
Learn more →Neuro-Electrical Stimulation
Learn more →More in Neck & Head
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Please read: this page is education, not a diagnosis. A proper examination is how a condition gets confirmed and a plan gets built. See our medical disclaimer.