Radiculopathy is a common condition that can lead to chronic and significant pain. If you are struggling with the pain and numbness of a compressed nerve, Coast Spine and Sports Medicine can help with a tailored treatment approach. We serve patients in Orange County, Los Angeles County and Inland Empire.
What Is Radiculopathy?
Radiculopathy is a very common condition that refers to any sort of compression of a nerve root within the spine. Radiculopathy can affect the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine and cause pain, numbness, weakness, and difficulty controlling affected muscles. Radiculopathy can be caused by a wide range of conditions, some minor and some more serious that require treatment.
How Much Does Radiculopathy Treatment Cost in Orange County?
The cost of radiculopathy treatment will depend on the location and cause of the compressed nerve and the best treatments for your condition. During your initial consultation, we will develop a tailored treatment plan and review the cost of your treatment. Coast Spine and Sports Medicine accepts many forms of health insurance as well as financing through CareCredit®.
What Causes Radiculopathy?
Radiculopathy can be caused by a wide range of injuries or spinal conditions such as:
- Spinal Arthritis
- Vertebral Compression Fractures
- Spondylolisthesis
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Bone Spurs
- Herniated Disc
- Diabetes
- Scoliosis
- Spinal Stenosis
What Are the Symptoms of Thoracic Radiculopathy?
Thoracic radiculopathy can cause pain in the torso and chest due to a compressed nerve root in the mid-back. Thoracic nerve compression is less common than nerve compression in the lumbar spine and may be misdiagnosed as a heart problem or shingles. You may experience numbness and tingling of the chest or torso or shooting, burning pain in the abdomen, ribs, or side.
What Are the Symptoms of Lumbar Radiculopathy?
Lumbar radiculopathy, often referred to as sciatica, can cause symptoms and pain in the lower back, legs, and hips due to nerve compression in the lower back. Many people experience pain that shoots from the lower back into the buttock, but this pain can also spread to the hips, leg, and foot. Sitting for long periods of time or walking can worsen the pain.
How Is Radiculopathy Treated in Orange County?
Depending on the type of radiculopathy and the severity, your condition may respond well to non-invasive treatment in the form of physical therapy and medication. Steroid injections may also be used to temporarily ease pain and reduce inflammation around a nerve root. A cervical steroid injection is a common cervical radiculopathy treatment, but epidural steroid injections can also ease the pain of thoracic and lumbar nerve compression.
If these treatment options do not work for you, surgery may be the best option. Surgery is only recommended for severe cases, especially those involving compressed nerves due to conditions like spinal stenosis, severe scoliosis, or a bone spur. For example, the best lumbar radiculopathy treatment caused by spinal stenosis may be laminectomy. The most common cervical radiculopathy surgery is ACDF, which is used to remove bone spurs or a damaged spinal disc followed by spinal fusion to stabilize the spine.
You don’t need to live with the reduced quality of life that can come with radiculopathy. Coast Spine and Sports Medicine offers tailored treatments to relieve the symptoms of radiculopathy and address the underlying cause for patients in Los Angeles County and Orange County, including areas of Santa Ana, Downey, and Rancho Cucamonga. Contact us today to schedule your initial appointment.
