Musculoskeletal Pathways

Cervical Radiculopathy refers to signs and symptoms, not just pain. ​Imaging is not required for the diagnosis of cervical radiculopathy.

 

Radicular pain is sharp and shooting and travels from the neck down the upper limb. In contrast, pain referred from the musculoskeletal structures in the neck is often an aching, and is worse in the neck than the arm.

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Imaging is considered where conservative therapy has failed and surgery or intervention is being considered

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Any cervical imaging commonly detects degenerative changes. These may have little to do with neck pain as 30–40% of asymptomatic young and middle-aged patients have such changes.