Radiculopathy
Description
- Dysfunction of a spinal nerve root -> dermatomal pain/sensory change + myotomal weakness + loss of the corresponding reflex
- LMN pattern - hypotonia, hyporeflexia, wasting; UMN signs mean the cord is involved as well (myeloradiculopathy)
- Radicular pain is sharp, electric, lancinating, radiating in a band - distinct from the deep, poorly localised referred (sclerotomal) pain of facet or disc disease
- Nerve root exits below the corresponding vertebra in the lumbar spine, but above it in the cervical spine
- Cervical: C6 root exits at the C5/6 level. There are 8 cervical roots and 7 cervical vertebrae, so C8 exits below C7
- A paracentral L4/5 disc typically hits the traversing L5 root, not the exiting L4 root - the commonest exam trap in disc-level localisation
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