Radiculopathy is a condition commonly known as a “pinched nerve” in your spine. This case study shows how coMra therapy can be used to treat radiculopathy and overcome its painful symptoms.
Radiculopathy is a condition commonly known as a “pinched nerve” in your spine. It happens when one of your nerve roots (where your nerves join your spinal column) becomes compressed or irritated. This condition is also called radiculitis.1
Download the coMra e-book for more information on coMra therapy
Radiculopathy causes pain, numbness and/or tingling in the area around your pinched nerve.1
Depending on where the pinched nerve is located, radiculopathy will be classified as one of three types:1
- Cervical radiculopathy (neck).
- Thoracic radiculopathy (upper-middle back).
- Lumbar radiculopathy (lower back).
Radiculopathy can be caused by anything that compresses or irritates the roots of your spinal nerves, for example:1
- A physical trauma, like a car accident or a fall.
- A herniated disc.
- The growth of bone spurs on one of your vertebrae.
You can also develop radiculopathy with no direct cause as you get older. Your bones and the discs in your spine lose their shape and flexibility as you age. This natural degeneration can cause your spine to shift enough to “pinch” a nerve.1
Radiculopathy can affect anyone, but it’s more common in people older than 50 years.1
This case study shows how coMra therapy can be used to treat radiculopathy and overcome its painful symptoms.1
Case Study: Cervical Radiculopathy
A 69-year-old man had herniated discs in his neck (C5-C7), causing cervical radiculopathy. He was initially misdiagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, until his symptoms spread from his wrist up to his shoulder. He was then misdiagnosed with a rotator cuff injury. Eventually, an MRI scan showed compressed nerves in his neck.2
The condition affected his median, ulnar and radial nerves, causing the following symptoms:2
- Numbness in his fingers.
- Atrophy of his thumb muscle (thenar atrophy).
- Inability to move his thumb properly.
- Shoulder pain.
The patient took pain medication, which didn’t bring him enough relief. His doctors suggested cervical spine surgery to fix the problem, but he was motivated to find other modalities of treatment. This led him to try coMra therapy.2
He was treated with the coMra 905 nm laser, targeting the cervical spine and subclavian artery, later also targeting key points along the nerve pathway, namely the carpal tunnel, shoulder, axilla and brachial plexus. He received seven sessions over five weeks. He also received gentle chiropractic treatments during this time.2
The patient made steady progress in his recovery:2
- After session 1, there was definite hand strength improvement.
- After session 2, thenar muscle function improved and he could move his thumb properly.
- After sessions 5-6, his pain resolved and he was able to come off all pain medications.
- Within five months of treatment, he was back to his regular gym routine.
This case study demonstrates how coMra can be used to support nerve self-repair and functional recovery – without surgery. Rather than dampening pain signals with medication, the focus here was on supporting the nerves’ ability to heal themselves, allowing pain to decrease as function improved.
Before using coMra, the patient had suffered from radiculopathy for six years! This shows how even long-term nerve problems can be successfully addressed with coMra therapy.
For more information about how coMra can help with damaged nerves, download our free ebook: “Overcoming Nerve Damage with coMra Therapy”.
