While cervical disc pathology can unquestionably produce radiculopathy, many patients presenting with arm pain, paresthesia or perceived weakness do not exhibit the clinical behavior of true nerve-root compromise. In these cases, failure to differentiate the primary pain generator may lead to unnecessary spinal injections, nerve ablation procedures or surgical consultation despite limited likelihood of benefit.
Brian Budgell, DC, PhD
Dr. Brian Budgell is the director of the Laboratory of Neurophysiology at Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. Before joining CMCC, he served as associate professor in the School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine at Kyoto University in Japan; and then professor in the Département de Chiropratique at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. Dr. Budgell operated a full-time clinical practice for approximately six years before turning to a career in research, and has numerous book chapter contributions and peer-reviewed papers to his credit. His current research focuses on the effects of somatic stimulation on spinal cord blood flow, and the influence of spinal cord compression on the modulation of somato-autonomic reflexes.