Radicular Pain Treatment
What is Radicular Pain?
Pain that spreads from an inflamed or pinched nerve is often referred to as radicular pain. The pressure on the nerve occurs near the spine and causes pain and discomfort to radiate to other parts of the body.
Radicular pain is further categorized by the general location of the pain origination, such as cervical, thoracic, or lumbar radicular pain.
What are the Symptoms of Radicular Pain?
Radicular pain is characterized by feelings of numbness, tingling, shooting pain, or muscle weakness, spreading from some part of the spine out into a limb.
What are the causes of radicular pain?
Radicular pain is most often caused by sudden trauma, such as an automobile accident or sports injury. Any kind of sudden impact that causes injury to the spine can result in a bulging or herniated disc or can inflame nerves around the spine area.
Alternatively, radicular pain can also result from inactivity and long periods of sitting, especially with poor posture. Sitting puts excess pressure on the lumbar region of the spine and can cause compression of the spinal discs, aggravating the nerves.
How Do I Know if I Have Radicular Pain?
Because of similar symptoms and causes, radicular pain is easy to mistake for sciatica or neuropathic pain, both of which require different treatments. The appropriate diagnosis of your condition is critical to ensuring you receive the proper treatment. This diagnosis will include a summary of your medical history, a detailed discussion of your symptoms and potential causes, and imaging tests or exams, such as an MRI or spinal X-ray.
The professionals at Oklahoma Pain Center can determine if you have radicular pain. Our staff specializes in the proper identification, treatment, and management of chronic pain and can help make sure you receive the best care possible. Call our offices today at (405) 752-9600 to schedule an appointment.
How is Radicular Pain Treated?
Treatment for radicular pain depends upon your unique situation and a variety of factors, including age, physical health, type of pain, and location of the pain. Your doctor may recommend one of the following treatments, or a combination of several:
- Massage. Massage therapy can release tension in the muscles and reduce pressure on the spine and nerves.
- Physical activity and/or weight loss. Inactivity, especially when combined with excess weight, can put significant pressure on various regions of your spine. Losing the weight and increasing your movement can help release any compression and reduce pain.
- Physical therapy. Stretching and lengthening the muscles through increased mobility and improved flexibility is another way to release tension. Physical therapy can also help strengthen the muscles around your spine, improving your posture and spinal alignment.
- Chiropractic treatment. Licensed chiropractic treatments can be helpful in realigning the spine and releasing any pinched or compressed nerves, reducing pain and improving mobility.
- Medication. There are a number of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and nerve-blocking medications that can help you reduce or manage your pain. Your doctor may also suggest steroid injections near the site of the pain to help promote improved mobility.
- Surgery. In extreme instances, surgery may be required to release pinched or compressed nerves or correct herniated discs. Because of risk and recovery challenges, surgery is typically the last resort if all other measures to reduce and manage pain have failed.
You do not have to live in pain. The specialists at Oklahoma Pain Center are committed to developing holistic treatment and pain management plans that improve every aspect of your life. If you have been suffering from pain that radiates from a specific location into other parts of your body, or if you are experiencing other types of pain, call our offices today at (405) 752-9600 to schedule an appointment.