Nerve roots exit the spine and enter the body. If one of these roots is sick or injured in the area where it leaves the spine, it is called a radiculopathy. Some disease states can cause this, but more often it is a mechanical cause like a herniated disc, bone spur, or stretching event. This can cause numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness in the part of the body controlled by that root.
After taking the patient’s history, we will perform a specific neurological examination that would guide further diagnostic and/or therapeutic steps. An NCS/EMG, and/or neuroimaging such as an MRI might be needed to diagnose radiculopathy. Treatment can include medication, physical therapy, steroid injection in the spine, and in the most serious cases even surgery.
Inflammatory polyradiculopathies are also included in this section, acute and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP & CIDP). The acute form requires emergent evaluation and treatment in the hospital setting with subsequent followups in the outpatient setting for monitoring. The Chronic form or CIDP can be from the acute onset or from an insidious initial presentation. An NCS/EMG is used to ascertain diagnoses and is used to monitor progression and/or response to therapy.
Immunomodulatory therapy and other interventions are evidenced to help in this type of inflammatory disorders.
