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Pain, muscular tenderness, cervical and shoulder mobility in patients with cervical radiculopathy randomly treated with surgery, physiotherapy or a cervical collar

Persson, L. C G LU and Moritz, Ulrich LU (1998) In Pain Clinic 11(1). p.51-67
Abstract

This prospective, randomised study compares the efficacy of surgery and conservative treatments in patients with cervical radiculopathy. The study group comprised 81 patients with long-lasting cervicaloradiculopathy, with a pain distribution corresponding to a significant nerve root compression, verified by magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomographic myelography. The patients were randomly allocated to surgery, physiotherapy or to wearing a cervical collar. The therapeutic effects were evaluated with respect to pain intensity on a visual analogue scale, pain distribution by pain drawing, and muscle tenderness by manual palpation. Shoulder and cervical range of motion was measured. The controls were performed before treatment, and... (More)

This prospective, randomised study compares the efficacy of surgery and conservative treatments in patients with cervical radiculopathy. The study group comprised 81 patients with long-lasting cervicaloradiculopathy, with a pain distribution corresponding to a significant nerve root compression, verified by magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomographic myelography. The patients were randomly allocated to surgery, physiotherapy or to wearing a cervical collar. The therapeutic effects were evaluated with respect to pain intensity on a visual analogue scale, pain distribution by pain drawing, and muscle tenderness by manual palpation. Shoulder and cervical range of motion was measured. The controls were performed before treatment, and 4 and 12 months after the start of the treatment. Before treatment, the groups were uniform. After treatment, the surgery and physiotherapy groups reported lower pain intensity and fewer painful areas compared to the collar group. The surgery group showed a reduced tenderness score compared to the two conservatively treated groups, and improved shoulder motion compared to the collar group. However, after 1 year, there were no significant differences between the treatment groups. The conclusion is therefore that one treatment is as good as any other of the three treatments studied although there is some difference in time when the improvement takes place.

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author
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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Anterior cervical fusion, Cervical collar, Cervical radiculopathy, Physiotherapy
in
Pain Clinic
volume
11
issue
1
pages
17 pages
publisher
Maney Publishing
external identifiers
  • scopus:0031949020
ISSN
0169-1112
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
1c1f5ca3-01be-485c-af4a-2bffb9f18fdb
date added to LUP
2018-02-08 10:13:36
date last changed
2022-01-31 01:42:19
@article{1c1f5ca3-01be-485c-af4a-2bffb9f18fdb,
  abstract     = {{<p>This prospective, randomised study compares the efficacy of surgery and conservative treatments in patients with cervical radiculopathy. The study group comprised 81 patients with long-lasting cervicaloradiculopathy, with a pain distribution corresponding to a significant nerve root compression, verified by magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomographic myelography. The patients were randomly allocated to surgery, physiotherapy or to wearing a cervical collar. The therapeutic effects were evaluated with respect to pain intensity on a visual analogue scale, pain distribution by pain drawing, and muscle tenderness by manual palpation. Shoulder and cervical range of motion was measured. The controls were performed before treatment, and 4 and 12 months after the start of the treatment. Before treatment, the groups were uniform. After treatment, the surgery and physiotherapy groups reported lower pain intensity and fewer painful areas compared to the collar group. The surgery group showed a reduced tenderness score compared to the two conservatively treated groups, and improved shoulder motion compared to the collar group. However, after 1 year, there were no significant differences between the treatment groups. The conclusion is therefore that one treatment is as good as any other of the three treatments studied although there is some difference in time when the improvement takes place.</p>}},
  author       = {{Persson, L. C G and Moritz, Ulrich}},
  issn         = {{0169-1112}},
  keywords     = {{Anterior cervical fusion; Cervical collar; Cervical radiculopathy; Physiotherapy}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{51--67}},
  publisher    = {{Maney Publishing}},
  series       = {{Pain Clinic}},
  title        = {{Pain, muscular tenderness, cervical and shoulder mobility in patients with cervical radiculopathy randomly treated with surgery, physiotherapy or a cervical collar}},
  volume       = {{11}},
  year         = {{1998}},
}