NBCE Exam 2026 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners

The scenario described—right arm and hand pain that is reproduced by cervical compression and alleviated by flexion and distraction—strongly indicates cervical radiculitis. This condition occurs when there is irritation or inflammation of a spinal nerve root in the cervical spine, often caused by a herniated disc or spinal stenosis.

When cervical compression is applied, the nerve root is further compressed, resulting in increased pain or discomfort radiating into the arm and hand. The relief experienced with flexion and distraction can be attributed to the reduction of pressure on the affected nerve root, as these movements typically help decompress the area around the nerve.

In contrast, other conditions would present with slightly different symptom patterns. Cervical spondylosis may lead to chronic neck discomfort and does not typically elicit the specific pain relief response associated with flexion and distraction. Cervical myelopathy often involves more extensive neurological deficits and is accompanied by symptoms affecting multiple areas due to spinal cord compression, rather than isolated arm and hand pain. A cervical strain would generally be characterized by localized neck pain and stiffness rather than the specific irradiating pain associated with nerve root involvement.

Thus, the symptoms and their responses strongly align with cervical radiculitis, highlighting it as the most appropriate