Conservative Care Rivals Surgery for Cervical Radiculopathy — No Long-Term Differences in Pain, Function, or Disability

A new systematic review pooling over 1,100 patients found that surgery was not superior to non-operative care for arm pain, neck pain, disability, or overall success.

The Study at a Glance

What they did: A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing surgery vs. non-operative management for cervical radiculopathy. Pooled 12 studies including 1,127 patients.

Core finding: Surgery was NOT associated with superior outcomes compared to non-operative care for any key measure after 12+ months follow-up.

Published in: Spine, April 2026.

The Numbers

• Arm pain (VAS): No significant difference (P=0.16)

• Neck pain (VAS): No significant difference (P=0.44)

• Neck disability (NDI): No significant difference (P=0.52)

• Overall success: No significant difference (P=0.30)

• Painkiller use & sick leave: No differences

What This Means

Starting with chiropractic care or physical therapy is an evidence-based decision — not a compromise. The data shows non-operative management produces outcomes indistinguishable from surgery at 12+ months, without the cost, recovery time, or surgical risks.

Source: Spine, 2026. DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000005704. Kale KM et al.