Understanding Radiculopathy
Radiculopathy is the medical term for what most people call a "pinched nerve." It occurs when a spinal nerve root — the point where a nerve branches off the spinal cord and exits the vertebral column — becomes compressed, inflamed, or injured. The result is pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that travels along the nerve's pathway, often far from the actual source of the problem. A compressed nerve in the lower back, for example, can produce shooting pain all the way down through the buttock, thigh, calf, and foot.
Radiculopathy is extremely common. With over 90,500 monthly searches for this term in the U.S. alone, it ranks among the most frequently searched spinal conditions — reflecting just how many people are living with nerve root pain at any given time. The condition can affect any level of the spine, but the lumbar (lower back) and cervical (neck) regions are by far the most common sites.
Lumbar Radiculopathy
Lumbar radiculopathy — nerve root compression in the lower back — is the most prevalent form and affects approximately 3–5% of the population at some point in their lives. The most commonly affected levels are L4–L5 and L5–S1, where the discs bear the greatest mechanical load during daily movement.
Symptoms of lumbar radiculopathy include lower back pain, Sciatica (shooting pain radiating into the buttock, thigh, and calf), foot weakness or numbness, and difficulty with activities like walking or standing for extended periods. When the sciatic nerve roots are involved, the radiating leg pain can be severe and debilitating.
Cervical Radiculopathy
Cervical radiculopathy involves nerve root compression in the neck region, most often at the C5–C6 or C6–C7 levels. These two segments are the most mobile and load-bearing in the cervical spine, making them particularly vulnerable to disc herniation, bone spur formation, and degenerative changes.
Symptoms include neck pain, shoulder blade pain, arm pain that radiates down into the fingers, tingling or numbness in the hand, and grip weakness. In some cases, patients notice that certain neck positions — such as looking up or to one side — sharply worsen the arm symptoms.
What Causes Radiculopathy?
Any condition that narrows the space through which nerve roots exit the spine can cause radiculopathy. The most common causes include:
- Herniated discs: When disc material protrudes and presses directly on a nerve root — the single most common cause of acute radiculopathy.
- Bone spurs (osteophytes): Bony growths that form along the edges of vertebrae as part of the aging process, narrowing the foraminal openings through which nerves pass.
- Spinal stenosis: General narrowing of the spinal canal or neuroforamina that compresses nerve roots over time.
- Degenerative disc disease: As discs lose height with age, the foraminal openings narrow, reducing the space available for nerve roots to exit without compression.
How We Treat Radiculopathy
At Central Illinois Spine, we treat radiculopathy with a multi-modal, non-surgical protocol designed to address the actual source of nerve root compression — not just mask the pain. Our treatment approach combines the most effective conservative therapies available.
Spinal Decompression — DRX 9000
The DRX 9000 is the cornerstone of our radiculopathy treatment program. This FDA-cleared, computer-controlled spinal decompression table applies precise, cyclical traction forces to the affected spinal segment. The alternating distraction and relaxation phases prevent the paraspinal muscles from guarding against the pull — enabling the system to create genuine negative intradiscal pressure.
This negative pressure creates a vacuum effect that can draw herniated disc material away from the compressed nerve root and simultaneously pulls in oxygen, water, and nutrients that the disc needs to heal. Central Illinois Spine operates 6 DRX 9000 units — more than any other clinic in central Illinois — which means you never wait weeks between sessions.
Chiropractic Adjustments
Spinal misalignments and joint dysfunction often accompany or contribute to nerve root compression. Chiropractic care restores proper segmental motion and alignment throughout the spine, reducing mechanical stress on the affected nerve root and decreasing nervous system interference. Our doctors are trained in low-force and instrument-assisted techniques that are safe and appropriate even during acute, painful radiculopathy flare-ups.
Digital Motion X-Ray (DMX)
Digital Motion X-Ray is a specialized fluoroscopic imaging technology that captures real-time video of your spine while you move. Unlike static X-rays or MRIs taken at rest, DMX reveals exactly how the vertebrae and discs behave under motion — identifying dynamic instability and pinpointing the precise spinal level where compression is occurring. This is especially valuable for cervical radiculopathy, where positional instability may be a significant contributor to nerve root irritation.
Physical Therapy
Decompression and chiropractic care relieve the compression and restore alignment — but the muscles supporting the spine must also be rehabilitated. Our physical therapy program targets core stabilization (transversus abdominis, multifidus) and postural correction to reduce ongoing mechanical stress on compressed nerve roots. Stronger, better-coordinated support musculature dramatically lowers the risk of symptom recurrence.