radiculitis

9.9

Swelling of a nerve root that causes pain along the nerve

noun
/ˌrædɪkjuˈlaɪtɪs/

Specialized

: radiculitis

The patient was diagnosed with radiculitis after complaining of sharp pain radiating along her arm.

Examples

Treatment for radiculitis typically includes anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy.
Certain infections can lead to radiculitis by inflaming the nerve roots in the spine.
She was diagnosed with radiculitis last week.
Many patients experience severe pain due to radiculitis.
Certain infections can lead to radiculitis by inflaming the nerve roots in the spine.
The patient was diagnosed with radiculitis after complaining of sharp pain radiating along her arm.
Treatment for radiculitis typically includes anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy.

Synonyms

neuritis

vsradiculitis

Specialized

1 7.7

Swelling of a nerve that causes pain and sometimes loss of feeling or movement

is limited to inflammation at the nerve root rather than along the nerve

Antonyms

health

∞ 1.0

The condition of a person's body and mind, especially being free from illness or injury

Surface Forms

radiculitis singular

radiculitides plural

Morphology

radiculitis = radicle (opaque) = radicul + itis

Although formed from the combining form radicul- ('root') + the medical suffix -itis ('inflammation'), the combining form is specialized and unfamiliar to average learners, so the meaning is not directly inferable.

Etymology

The word radiculitis comes from the parts radicul- meaning 'root' and -itis meaning 'inflammation', and the radicul- part is the same idea you find in radish, a root vegetable. So radiculitis is an 'inflammation' of a nerve 'root', which is why it causes pain that runs along the nerve.