Spurling's test

The Spurling test is a medical maneuver used to assess nerve root pain (aka radicular pain). The examiner turns the patient's head to the affected side while extending and applying downward pressure to the top of the patient's head. A positive Spurling's sign (i.e. the Spurling's test is positive) is when the pain arising in the neck radiates in the direction of the corresponding dermatome ipsilaterally. It is a variant of the foraminal compression test (cervical compression test).