Neck pain with radiculopathy.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Pain Management
• Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

• Non-specific neck pain affects two-thirds of people, often with a postural or mechanical origin.
• While acute neck pain typically resolves, approximately 10% of cases become chronic.
• Whiplash injuries can lead to persistent symptoms in up to 40% of individuals long after the initial event.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the effects of surgical treatments for neck pain with radiculopathy.
• To assess the effects of injection treatments for neck pain with radiculopathy.
• To evaluate the effects of drug treatments for neck pain with radiculopathy.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a systematic overview of existing literature.
• Searched major databases including Medline, Embase, and The Cochrane Library up to September 2014.
• Screened 226 records, reviewed 41 full publications, and included four systematic reviews and one RCT.

Main Results:

• Identified and evaluated studies on drug, injection, and surgical interventions for neck pain.
• Performed GRADE evaluations for three PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) combinations.
• Categorized the efficacy of interventions based on available evidence.

Conclusions:

• The systematic overview provides a categorization of intervention efficacy for neck pain with radiculopathy.
• Effectiveness and safety data for drug, injection, and surgical treatments were assessed.
• This overview aids in understanding treatment options for patients with neck pain and radiculopathy.