hello doctors I am doctor Donna wills ello of championship chiropractic in Las Vegas Nevada the cervical compression test is an orthopedic test for the cervical spine the patient can be seated or standing we want to make sure that they're in good posture and we want to make sure that the neck is held in a neutral position the neck is not flexed the neck is not extended laterally flexed or rotated to either side the neck is held in a neutral position what we're going to do is stand behind the patient you can use one or both hands whichever one works better for you you place the hand on top of the head and you perform a very light axial compression so you're pressing down on the skull this will compress the cervical spine and reduce the amount of space in the intervertebral foramina if there is a reproduction or an increase in the radicular symptoms going down the affected arm the test is positive and this will indicate either a disc herniation or a cervical radiculopathy