Radiculopathy Treatment in Houston, TX
Are you familiar with the term radiculopathy? Most people aren’t. Radiculopathy is a disorder characterized by pain, paralysis, numbness and tingling due to spinal pinched or compressed nerves.
Radiculopathy can occur in any area of the spine, resulting in either cervical radiculopathy, thoracic radiculopathy, or lumbar radiculopathy. However, the most common spine areas affected by radiculopathy are the cervical and lumbar regions. While radiculopathy can affect anyone, most people affected by radiculopathy in Houston today are between 30 and 50 years.
Causes of Radiculopathy
Radiculopathy occurs as the result of the compression of a nerve root. This can happen in several conditions, which include:
- Herniated disc: This is one of the most common causes of radiculopathy. When the outer covering of a spinal disc breaks down, the disc substance within may rupture outward, causing compression of the adjacent nerve root.
- Cauda Equina Syndrome: While this condition is rare, it is still a serious condition. Cauda Equina Syndrome is characterized by compression of many or all of the nerve roots of the lumbar spine. While this condition almost always develops secondary to a severely herniated disc, it can also be caused by spine fractures and tumors.
- Osteoarthritis: When arthritis develops in the spine’s joints, portions of the spinal column may become overgrown and can compress adjacent nerve roots. This can cause radiculopathy, necessitating radiculopathy treatment.
- Scoliosis: Scoliosis is the abnormal lateral curvature of the spine. While it is present at birth in some individuals, scoliosis can also develop throughout their lifetime. Scoliosis can cause radiculopathy with or without back pain.
- Diabetes: Diabetes becomes a cause of radiculopathy when blood flow to nerves is inadequate.
Radiculopathy is a complicated condition. When searching for radiculopathy treatment in Houston, you should ensure that specialists manage you.
Cervical Radiculopathy Houston Diagnosis
The first step in knowing if you might have cervical radiculopathy is to visit Advanced Chiropractic Relief. Your Houston Chiropractor will review your symptoms and build a health history and profile. A physical examination will also be conducted, and specific diagnostic tests may be performed. These tests include:
- X-ray: This shows any bone anomalies in your spine.
- CT Scans
- MRI scans
- Electromyography
Radiculopathy Treatment Houston
Once you’ve been diagnosed with radiculopathy, there are many treatment options available. Some options include:
- Physical therapy
- Medications: These could either be prescription or over-the-counter medications
- Trigger-point injections
- Medical branch block injections
All these options and others can be used in the treatment of radiculopathy. Non-invasive treatments are usually preferred over invasive ones.
Chiropractic Treatment for Radiculopathy Houston
Chiropractic treatments for radiculopathy are also possible. This treatment realigns any spinal subluxations, thereby freeing any compressed nerve roots. What makes us different from others for this particular service is the effective and trademarked techniques we use while ensuring the individual’s comfort is our top priority. We always take a detailed history of our patients and perform a thorough physical examination before chiropractic treatments begin. Lumbar radiculopathy can also be treated via chiropractic methods.
Reach out to us today if you believe you may have a compressed nerve. Radiculopathy can cause a lot of pain and hamper daily life, and we’d love to ensure that you are pain-free, healthy, and happy.
If you think you might have a pinched nerve or cervical radiculopathy, please contact us and schedule an appointment at Advanced Chiropractic Relief! We’d love nothing more than to help you go back to living pain-free!