Review Question - QID 1143

The patient is describing cervical radiculopathy symptoms that are alleviated with shoulder abduction, which removes tension on the cervical roots, and are worsened with sleeping with her neck bent laterally in a position similar to the Spurling compression test.

The reference by Vikari-Juntura et al describes the high specificity of cervical exam maneuvers like the Spurling compression test, shoulder abduction test, and axial traction test but found low sensitivity (25-50%) of these tests in diagnosing cervical radiculopathy.

Incorrect Answers:
Answer 1: Guyon’s canal syndrome would not affect sensation in the dorsal wrist area.
Answer 2: Cubital tunnel syndrome is typically worse with elbow flexion and improved with extension.
Answer 3: Diabetic neuropathy is typically in a glove and stocking distribution and is rarely painful.
Answer 5: Myelopathy typically has upper motor findings and difficulty with fine motor tasks.