Cervical Degenerative
A 45-year-old office worker presents with 6 weeks of neck pain radiating to the lateral forearm and thumb, with associated numbness in the thumb and index finger. She has weakness of elbow flexion and wrist extension. The Spurling test reproduces her arm symptoms. MRI shows a C5-6 disc herniation compressing the C6 nerve root. Conservative treatment has failed after 8 weeks. Regarding cervical disc herniation and radiculopathy:
Mark each as TRUE or FALSE
In the cervical spine, the nerve root exits above its numbered vertebra (unlike lumbar spine); there...
Clinical examination includes the Spurling test (axial compression with extension and rotation towar...
The nerve root exits below its numbered vertebra in the cervical spine; C5-6 disc affects C5 root; t...
Conservative treatment is successful in 80-90% of patients and includes NSAIDs, physical therapy, ac...
Surgical options include anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF - most common), posterior cer...
Answer the questions to see explanations
Click T (True) or F (False) for each option