Causes and symptoms of radiculopathy of the cervical spine (c5-c6)

Radiculopathy – chronic disease, including a range of clinical symptoms:

  • neck pain, upper limbs (сдавлениеЅ4, S5, S6, S7 roots, less S8);
  • muscle weakness of the hands, reaching to the paresis;
  • numbness and dysesthesia.

radiculopathy C5-C6

disease Description

Radiculopathy the spine is not an independent disease but a complication of other diseases of the musculoskeletal system:

  1. degenerative disc disease
  2. disc herniation
  3. cervical spondylosis
  4. osteophytes
  5. neoplastic diseases of the nervous or skeletal system.

Intervertebral disc loses its natural structure, disorganized. Its shape is changed, there are processes that can squeeze the nerves and nerve roots emerging from the spinal canal. The pain is caused by two mechanisms:

  • mechanical compression of the nerve root.
  • Inflammation of the surrounding tissues of the zone of narrowing of exit nerve.

The Main symptoms of radiculopathy of the cervical spine depending on the localization:

  • the defeat of the S4-S5 of the Department is S5 radiculopathy plexus. Sore neck (more rear), shoulder girdle, the front surface of entire upper extremity to the wrist. The fingers are not involved. The sensitivity is broken on the back surface of the hands. A neurologist can detect the decrease of the reflexes with the biceps;
  • S5-S6 the Department produce symptoms S6 plexus of the spine. When S6 radiculopathy pain the upper part of the entire arm. Involved the thumb and forefinger (reduced sensitivity). Reflex with the biceps also reduced;
  • S6-S7 defeat. Throbbing pain is on the posterior surface of the arm, involves the index and ring fingers. The reflexes of the triceps is reduced.

Instrumental diagnostics

In modern equipment diagnosis is not difficult, but quite expensive.

  • Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine allows to determine the division of the lesion (S4, S5, S6).
  • x-rays are much cheaper, but reveals only bone defects: narrowing the gap between the vertebrae, osteoporosis. Detects tumors, osteophytes.
  • Computed tomography is a more sensitive method.
  • Needle electromyography on indirect signs of denervation of skeletal muscle is able to determine the level of the lesion.

Differential-diagnostic symptoms of spinal lesions in S5, S6:

  1. Paresthesias (unpleasant sensations, a burning sensation, tingling, crawling "chills"):
    • shoulder girdle– S5;
    • the thumb and forefinger – S
  2. straining the pain radiates:
    • in the back of the neck, the shoulder girdle – S5;
    • in the forearm, hand, fingers – S
  3. Results of needle electromyography:
    • denervation in the deltoid muscle, levator scapulae, biceps, brachioradialis muscle – S5;
    • reduction of innervation of the biceps, pronator round, serratus anterior.