Abstract
Pain is an individual multi-dimensional experience, depending on contributions from the sensory, affective and cognitive dimensions. Only a few studies investigated the psychosocial factors associated with cervical radiculopathy (CR). These studies suggested that chronic CR affects functional abilities, emotional and cognitive states. This descriptive study determined (1) whether psychological factors were present, (2) the impact of pain on the ability to perform activities of daily living, and (3) the correlation between pain intensity, emotional state and functional abilities. The researcher, a physiotherapist, interviewed 21 subjects whose clinical diagnosis of acute CR made by a neurosurgeon [and confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)], to determine the cognitive dimension. Three standardized questionnaires, namely the Neck Disability Index (NDI), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) Scale and the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ long form) were administrated to assess the pain intensity, emotional state, total pain experience and functional abilities. Central tendencies were determined by calculating the mean andmedian. The Spearman rank order correlation coefficient test was performed to establish correlations between variables.Results suggested that radicular pain is not only a sensory experience since altered emotional and cognitive stateswere present, which frequently influenced functional abilities. Correlations existed between functional abilities, emotional state and total pain experience, as well as anxiety and depression levels. Higher anxiety than depression levels were found. Thoughts on beliefs and coping strategies were affected. We concluded that clinicians should also address the psychosocial factors and consider the functional impact of the disease, during the assessment and management of acute CR.
Highlights
The term cervical radiculopathy (CR) describes the group of clinical symptoms and signs related to any dysfunction of the cervical spinal nerve root(s) due to pathological changes (Dox et al 1979; John 1997)
The experience of pain is multi-dimensional, depending on the interplay between three interrelated dimensions: (1) the sensory dimension including intensity, distribution, quality and behaviour of pain, (2) the affective dimension being the emotions associated with pain, such as depression, anxiety, fear and anger, and (3) the cognitive dimension representing the thoughts associated with pain, including present and past experiences, beliefs about pain and treatment, expectations and coping abilities (Johnson 1997; Main and Watson 1999; Farrar 2000; Scudds 2001)
Neck Disability Index: Functional abilities The composite mean total score obtained by the NDI was 19.8 out of 50 (Table 1)
Summary
The term cervical radiculopathy (CR) describes the group of clinical symptoms and signs related to any dysfunction of the cervical spinal nerve root(s) due to pathological changes (Dox et al 1979; John 1997). Pain has been considered to be the result of a dynamic process of perception and interpretation of a wide range of incoming stimuli. Some of these stimuli are associated with actual or potential harm and some are benign but interpreted and described in terms of damage (Main and Watson 1999). According to the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), pain is defined as ‘an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage’ (Merskey 1991).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call