Radiculopathy describes nerve pain which travels or radiates into the extremity from a nerve which is compressed or irritated in the spine. This nerve can be compressed by disc, bone, or other structures. Many patients refer to leg pain associated with a radiculopathy as sciatica. Although this is not an accurate term for this condition, it has become overused in popular culture and many people still confuse the two problems. Radiculopathy can occur at any spinal level (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar), which means that pain radiating into your arms or your legs can be considered radicular if the source of that pain occurs in the spine.