Nerve root dysfunction, which is usually secondary to chronic pressure or invasion of the root, causes a radicular syndrome of pain and segmental neurologic deficit.

Cervical (neck) disk syndrome involves pain, numbness, and muscular spasm of the neck, radiating to the shoulders, caused by irritation and compression of the cervical nerve roots by a protruding intervertebral disk.

Mass lesions - benign or malignant - in the cervical area, especially in patients with narrow canals, may compress...