When you start to experience neck pain with numbness and/or tingling down your arm, a pinched nerve in the neck could be the culprit. A pinched nerve in the neck (aka cervical radiculopathy) is a condition where the nerve root becomes compressed and irritated. This can stem from a variety of causes, including disc herniation, arthritis, or simply wear and tear of daily life leading to nerve compression. Determining the direct cause of cervical radiculopathy can lead you to a quicker recovery. This article will review conservative management of a pinched nerve in the neck with an emphasis on how physical therapy can help relieve your neck and radiating pain.
**This is not medical advice. Please consult your medical provider for more information.
Anatomy of the Cervical Spine
Within the neck, there are seven cervical vertebrae that start at the base of the skull and extend down the neck. The first two vertebrae are a bit more specialized and differ in their anatomy compared to the others. C1 is known as the atlas and C2 is known as the axis. C3-C7 are more classic in their anatomy and shape. The nerves that travel from the spinal cord and down the arms travel through the facet joints. The nerve root is the first part of the spinal nerve that comes from the spinal cord.
With cervical radiculopathy, the nerve root exiting the cervical spine becomes compressed or irritated. There are many different things that can lead to nerve root compression. This includes inflammation, arthritis, disc herniation, and wear and tear.
Treatment Options for Cervical Radiculopathy
When dealing with cervical radiculopathy, experiencing radiating symptoms and pain can significantly impact your quality of life and spinal health. Getting this checked can start you on your journey towards pain relief.
Treatment options will vary depending on your unique needs. Conservative treatment may involve physical therapy, acupuncture, and pain management. All aim to reduce pain, improve function, and relieve pressure on the nerves. Surgical treatment may be an option after conservative treatment fails or in more severe cases. Your doctor can help determine what may be the best treatment option for you.
Surgical Options
Surgery may be an option for a multitude of reasons. Criteria for pursuing surgical treatment is failed conservative treatment, debilitating pain, significant nerve compression seen on an MRI, and/or neurological symptoms related to weakness and loss of function that interferes with daily activities. Surgery aims to alleviate the pressure on the nerve. The type of surgery will depend on the where the nerve compression is occurring.
Minimally invasive procedures involve small incisions and are designed for quicker recovery times. Post-op care will incorporate rehabilitation exercises to strengthen the deep neck flexors, improve posture, and restore range of motion to support your spinal health.
Non-Surgical Options
There are a variety of non-surgical options available to help manage the symptoms of cervical radiculopathy. One of the most common and recommended paths is physical therapy. Physical therapy works on restoring range of motion, reducing radiating symptoms, and strengthening weaker muscles that are important for posture. Posture is a key player in physical therapy to help with recovery, but also to help prevent future nerve compression and to reduce the risk of future injury. This article will focus mainly on physical therapy as a means to treat a pinched nerve in the neck.
Acupuncture is another option to treat neck pain. Acupuncture aims to restore the flow of energy (aka qi) in the body. This form of treatment comes from traditional Chinese medicine. It can be helpful with reducing inflammation and pain. It can be helpful when paired with physical therapy on occasion. If pain levels are too high to fully participate in physical therapy, trialing acupuncture for pain reduction can help with participation in physical therapy afterwards.
Regardless of the route you choose, consistency is key. Working closely with a healthcare professional to diagnose the underlying cause and provide guidance in the next steps can help you get closer to a more effective treatment plan for your specific situation.
How Physical Therapy Treats a Pinched Nerve in the Neck
In order to determine where your nerve compression is coming from, your physical therapist will perform an initial evaluation. This entails taking a detailed look at your posture, spine, range of motion, strength, nerve mobility, and how you move. All of this gathered information will help establish your plan of care to determine what needs to be worked on and improve in order to get you back to optimal function and reduce your pain.
Based on what is found in the objective measurements, your physical therapist will be able to create a plan that incorporates exercises specifically targeting what you need to work on. These exercises will be aimed at alleviating nerve compression and reinforcing strength of your postural muscles.
Emphasizing postural awareness is critical. You can perform exercises for your posture all you want, but if you don’t work on becoming aware of your posture, then things won’t change. Postural awareness becomes a big emphasis on what you can work on at home. Ergonomic tips can assist you with your postural awareness. It takes a comprehensive approach to recover from cervical radiculopathy. Typically, nerve compression happens over a length of time; it is usually not a sudden thing that occurs, even though your symptoms may have suggested so. It will take time, patience, and consistency, but seeking relief from pain is in reach.
Deep Neck Flexor Strength and Motor Control
Poor postural habits can lead to nerve compression on your facet joints or can be linked to a cervical disc. Regardless, poor posture leads to repetitive strain on the cervical spine and surrounding structures, including your muscles and ligaments. Working on deep neck flexor strength and motor control can help alleviate radiculopathy symptoms.
The deep neck flexors are a group of small muscles located in the anterior portion of the neck. These muscles include:
- Rectus capitis anterior
- Rectus capitis lateralis
- Longus capitis
- Longus colli
Deep neck flexors are crucial for maintaining a healthy alignment of your cervical spine, acting as a natural counterpart to the strain your neck might endure from poor posture. By incorporating specific neck exercises focused on these muscles, you can help build your endurance to maintain better posture for longer periods of time. This, in turn, reduces the risk of further injuries and can help relieve your neck pain. These exercises often involve gentle yet targeted movements designed to engage and strengthen the deep neck flexors without exacerbating your current condition.
Remembering the importance of form, alignment, and technique is very important when targeting these muscles. It is very easy to lose the correct form and, instead, use other muscles we might not be trying to target. We will review more of this later.
Postural Awareness
When diving into the realms of spinal health, specifically targeting the relief of a pinched nerve in the neck, or cervical radiculopathy, the significance of postural correction cannot be overstated. Much like how the alignment of your car’s wheels affects its performance and longevity, the alignment of your cervical spine plays a pivotal role in both preventing and alleviating neck pain causes, including nerve compression.
Adopting ergonomic tips into your daily routine is a practical approach to safeguarding your cervical discs from undue stress. Consider, for instance, the arrangement of your workstation: an ergonomically aligned chair and desk setup that encourages a straight spine can mitigate the risk of developing or exacerbating symptoms of a pinched nerve. Similarly, when engaged in activities that require prolonged attention, such as reading or using a smartphone, maintaining the neck in a neutral position, aligned over the shoulders, can significantly reduce strain on the cervical spine.
Exercises and stretching routines targeting the deep neck flexors not only bolster neck muscle strength but also enhance motor control, providing a solid foundation for a healthy neck posture. Engaging in regular neck stretching exercises further contributes to the flexibility of the cervical spine, an essential component of spinal health that aids in the prevention of nerve compression. Hence, integrating these practices into your daily regimen offers a dual benefit: it serves as a non-surgical treatment modality for those already suffering from radiculopathy symptoms and acts as a preventive measure for maintaining optimal neck and spinal health.
Specific Exercises for Pinched Nerve in the Neck
When you’re tackling the discomfort that comes with a pinched nerve in your neck, known medically as cervical radiculopathy, understanding and performing certain neck exercises can be your pathway to relief. These exercises are not just motions; they’re a form of non-surgical treatment that focuses on alleviating nerve compression in the cervical spine through strengthening and stretching. The exercises I’m about to share aim to improve spinal health by targeting the deep neck flexors for strength, enhancing postural correction, and ensuring the cervical disc and surrounding areas are supported to reduce radiculopathy symptoms.
Firstly, let’s dive into the world of neck stretching exercises. Imagine the tension melting away as you gently tilt your head to one side, holding the stretch for a moment of tranquility. This simple movement can help relieve the pressure on a pinched nerve by lengthening the muscles that may be contributing to nerve compression. Consistency in these stretches can immensely benefit your neck’s flexibility and pain relief.
- Deep Neck Flexor exercises focus on the small muscles at the front of your neck. By strengthening these muscles, you contribute significantly to supporting your cervical spine. Imagine these exercises as the internal embrace your neck needs to safeguard against the implications of a pinched nerve.
- Postural correction exercises are your daily reminder to keep your spine in alignment. These exercises encourage the strengthening of muscles that have become weakened by prolonged poor posture. Integrating these into your routine not only aids in relieving current discomfort but also serves as preventive measures against future neck pain causes.
- Specific exercises for pinched nerve in the neck, such as chin tucks and shoulder blade squeezes, teach you the essence of muscle balance. Chin tucks can be seen as the antidote to the forward head posture, a common perpetrator of nerve compression. Shoulder blade squeezes reinforce the support system for your neck, providing a foundation of strength for your cervical spine.
Embarking on this exercise regimen, you must approach each movement with mindful consideration of your body’s limits. Start slowly, respect the signals your body sends, and prioritize proper technique over intensity. Remember, the goal is neck pain relief and improving overall spinal health, achievable through dedication and patience. Consulting with professionals in physical therapy, chiropractic care, or even exploring acupuncture for neck pain can provide additional tailored strategies to complement these exercises effectively. Lastly, don’t underestimate the power of ergonomic tips in your daily life; they serve as the groundwork ensuring the longevity of your neck’s health and comfort.
TL;DR
Understanding the cervical spine’s complexity is crucial in grasping how pinched nerves occur and the resulting symptoms. Identifying symptoms early can prevent the escalation of cervical radiculopathy into more severe complications. Approaching neck pain with a comprehensive diagnosis and tailored treatment plan is imperative for relief and prevention of further nerve compression.
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