Functional Limitation, Pain, Disability and Quality of Life in Patients With Cervical Spondylotic Radiculopathy

Radiculopathy is a neurological condition in which transmission along a spinal nerve and its roots is limited or inhibited. It is most caused by spondylotic changes such as cervical disc herniation leading to nerve root compression, inflammatory changes, and the formation of bony prominences in this region [1]. Pain is the initial symptom and cervical radiculopathy should be suspected when pain radiates from the neck to the shoulder and arm, accompanied by sensory complaints and motor weakness. It is most commonly caused by spondylotic changes, such as cervical disc herniation and bony prominences in this area, leading to nerve root compression and inflammatory changes. Stenotic changes in the spine, which are often observed with aging, can cause nerve damage and compression in individuals, causing radicular pain. However, there is insufficient study in which the relationship between pain caused by cervical spondylotic radiculopathy caused by stenosis and functional disability, disability and quality of life due to radiculopathy in patients is insufficient. In addition, the lack of a comprehensive outcome scale that evaluates the functional limitation caused by radicular pain has also led to a deficiency in the evaluation of functional limitation. In this context, CRES is a newly developed scale used to evaluate functional limitation associated with radicular pain. In this context, in this study, it was aimed to examine the relationship between pain, functional disability, disability and quality of life in patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy.