Your neck is vital for your mobility. When you get a pinched nerve in this part of your body — meaning, the nerve gets irritated or compressed — it can be very uncomfortable and routine-wrecking. In medical terms, this is called cervical radiculopathy, and you’d need help from a spinal surgeon Basingstoke to address it.

How do you know if you have this condition? Here are the most common symptoms you need to recognise:

You feel pain in the neck. The most immediate consequence of a pinched nerve is experiencing pain in the neck. It can further be aggravated when you move your neck.

You have a weak shoulder, arm, or hand. Experts in Southampton neurosurgery also typically encounter patients who encounter the weakening of their shoulder, arm, or hand. There are cases when all these three weaken.

You experience a tingling sensation in your fingers. Oftentimes, the pain also radiates up to your hands. In addition, a compressed nerve in the neck can also cause needle-like tingling in the fingers.

You have a loss of sensation in your arm, shoulder, hand, or finger. When your situation gets worse, you may also have a loss of sensation in the mentioned areas. If this goes on for a few days, you should already seek help from a professional.

Getting Diagnosed

When you visit a spine specialist or a spinal surgeon Basingstoke, expect to undergo different tests. X-rays will show the alignment of your bones, while a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan will tell if there are damaged soft tissues. To determine whether your nerves are properly functioning, electromyography (EMG) is needed. To rule out that no bone spurs have formed, you might also be subjected to a computed tomography (CT) scan to obtain more detailed images.

Apart from these, your specialist will also have to physically examine your neck, shoulders, arms, and hands to assess how serious your condition is. A common test performed on patients is the so-called Spurling test. This involves extending your neck, rotating the head to the side where your symptoms take place, and applying pressure atop the head.

You will also be asked about your medical history.

Treating Pinched Nerve In The Neck

Normally, a pinched nerve in the neck goes away on its own. This lasts for about four weeks. To help alleviate pain, medications can also be prescribed. Experts may also recommend you wear a soft cervical collar to help limit neck movements. To prevent your never from getting pinched again, certain exercises can be done. They aim to help strengthen your neck muscles while improving your range of motion in the process.

In extreme conditions, a Southampton neurosurgery may advise you to undergo cervical radiculopathy procedures. As different surgical procedures can be used to treat a pinched nerve, your specialist will have to thoroughly assess your condition — from the severity of the symptoms you’re feeling, your level of neck immobility, as well as the location of the affected nerve.