radiculopathy

[DEFINITION]

• A herniated intervertebral disk (nucleus pulposus) is one which has become displaced (prolapsed) from its normal position in between the vertebral bodies of the spine.
• Herniated disks often impinge on nearby nerve structures resulting in pain and neurologic symptoms. A clinical situation where the radicular nerve (nerve root) is compressed by the prolapsed disk is referred to as a radiculopathy. This problem tends to occur most commonly in the cervical and lumbar spine.

• Dysfunction of a nerve root by any cause. The motor manifestations are weakness, while the sensory manifestations may consist of pain (sciatica), numbness, or tingling (paresthesias), or a combination of these.