Radiating pain spreads outward from one area, and is associated with nerve root compression. It some cases, pain is not experienced at the site of compression, but rather where sensitivity is picked up by the root. A sciatica patient, for example, might experience leg pain while the actual compressed root causes no trouble at all. The pain itself travels, or ‘radiates’ by following the compressed nerve’s pathway. Other symptoms common to radiating pain include sensitivity, weakness, or changes in reflexes.
Nerve root compression has many causes. An abbreviated list would include sciatica; disc problems; arthritis; injury; inflammation; scar tissue; and tendonitis. In order to treat radiating pain, the cause of the condition must be determined first.
