Radiculopathy is a broad term describing what happens when nerve roots near the spine become pinched or compressed. There are numerous conditions and injuries that can lead to nerve root compression along the spine. Dr. Creek listens intently as you describe your symptoms before performing an evaluation with imaging tests to make or confirm a diagnosis.

You can get radiculopathy because of:

• Disc herniation or a bulging disc

• Spinal stenosis

• Foraminal stenosis

• Bone spurs

• Osteoarthritis

• Spondylolisthesis

• Vertebral fractures

• Scoliosis

Your risk for radiculopathy of all kinds increases with age. It’s also higher if you are overweight, carry poor posture, or use improper lifting techniques while picking up heavy objects.

The type of radiculopathy you have, no matter the cause, depends on the location of the compressed nerve or nerves along your spine. Dr. Creek evaluates your spine and can use various surgical techniques to treat:

• Lumbar radiculopathy

  • Lumbar radiculopathy affects one or more of the nerve roots in the part of your spine in the lower back, called the lumbar spine. It tends to cause symptoms like sciatic nerve pain, which radiates through your buttocks and the backs of your legs.

• Cervical radiculopathy

  • Cervical radiculopathy happens in the neck or the cervical spine. Symptoms affect your arms and hands since the nerves from the cervical spine travel to those areas.

• Thoracic radiculopathy

  • Thoracic radiculopathy starts in your upper back or thoracic spine. This type of radiculopathy is rare but can happen. It causes symptoms like pain or numbness that wrap around to the front of your core.

Typically, pinched nerves or radiculopathy are manageable with non-surgical measures like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), physical therapy, and activity modification. When radiculopathy is severe, Dr. Creek can treat the underlying condition with surgery at The Neck and Back Institute of Florida.

After assessing the compression, Dr. Creek plans your surgery to relieve pressure from the nerve root. In many cases, surgery for radiculopathy is minimally invasive. Depending on the cause, your options may include:

• Minimally invasive discectomy

• Minimally invasive foraminotomy

• Minimally invasive laminotomy

• Ultrasonic decompression

• Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF)

• Laminoplasty

• Adult scoliosis surgery

• Disc replacement

• Spinal fusion

By using minimally invasive techniques, Dr. Creek cuts down on the time you spend in the hospital and the time you spend recovering after surgery. These options use small incisions, so scarring is minimal too.