Cervical radiculopathy happens when a nerve root in the neck becomes irritated or compressed, causing pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that radiates down into the shoulder, arm, or hand. It's different from general neck pain or a muscle strain, since the symptoms trace back to a specific nerve rather than just sore or tight muscles. It's one of the conditions we see the most meaningful results with at Apex Chiropractic.
Common Symptoms
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Sharp or burning pain that travels from the neck into the shoulder, arm, or hand
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Numbness or tingling along the arm or into the fingers
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Weakness or a heavy feeling in the arm or hand
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Pain that worsens when turning or tilting your head in certain directions
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Symptoms that are often worse on one side than the other
What Causes It
Cervical radiculopathy is usually the result of a disc issue, bone spur, or other change in the neck that puts pressure on a nerve root. It can develop from an old injury that never fully resolved, from years of desk work and poor sleep positioning, or sometimes for no obvious reason at all.
How We Approach It
Our approach centers on precise, hands-on adjusting aimed at improving joint motion in the neck and reducing pressure and irritation around the affected nerve. We don't rely on X-rays unless there's a traumatic injury or a red flag in your history that calls for one, and we build your treatment plan around how you're actually responding, not a fixed protocol everyone goes through.
Most patients notice improvement in how the arm and hand symptoms feel as neck motion and nerve irritation improve, not just in the neck itself.
When We'll Refer You Out
Cervical radiculopathy responds well to conservative care in many cases, but not always. If your symptoms suggest significant nerve compression, if there's progressive weakness, or if conservative care isn't producing results after a reasonable trial, we'll tell you directly and refer you to the right specialist. We'd rather point you toward the care that will actually help than keep you in a treatment plan that isn't working.