Electrodiagnostic Evaluation of cervical root involvement among patients presenting with radicular pain: Short Communication

Abstract

Cervical spine pain is one of the most common problems of the spine and upper limbs, which can be axial or radicular. The present study aimed to electrodiagnostically evaluate cervical root involvement among patients presenting with radicular pain. The population was selected using simple random sampling from patients complaining of cervical radicular pain and unilateral or bilateral upper extremity that met the inclusion criteria. Out of 120 patients studied, 21 patients (17.5%) had cervical nerve root involvement, of which 14 were women (13.7% of patients) and 7 were men (38.8% of patients). The highest and lowest prevalence was related to C7 (37.1%) and C8 and T1 cervical roots (11.4% and 4.2), respectively. Four patients (19%) had only left cervical root involvement and 3 patients (14.2%) had right cervical root involvement and 14 patients (66.6% of patients) had bilateral cervical root involvement. The most common neurological finding associated with CTS cervical radiculopathy was about 52%. Based on the findings, most patients complaining of cervical radicular pain and upper extremity to investigate cervical root involvement often have no cervical radiculopathy and may have neurological causes such as carpal tunnel syndrome or musculoskeletal causes such as myofascial pain. Radicular pain and some other causes of these disorders can be simultaneously observed, which emphasizes the proper and timely use of electrodiagnostic tests and accurate examinations to diagnose nerve root damage.

Keywords

• carpal tunnel syndrome
• cervical pain
• radiculopathy