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.
John Maher, DC, DCBCN, BCIM
Dr. John Maher was the 1978 valedictorian of Cleveland Chiropractic College �¯�¿�½ Los Angeles and practiced in San Diego for 25 years. He co-founded and served as vice president of research and education for Doctors for Nutrition, and co-founded and served as director of education and research for BioPharma Scientific.He currently holds the position of director of education and research for Nutragen, Inc.; and can be contacted with questions or comments about this article at drjmaher@nutragen.com.