Spurling

Spurling is a surname. The name appears in historical and contemporary records and is borne by people in a variety of fields, including science, the arts, and public life.

Spurling's test, also known as the Spurling maneuver, is a provocative clinical test used to evaluate suspected cervical radiculopathy due to nerve root compression. In the procedure, the patient typically sits with the head in a neutral or slightly extended position, and the clinician applies axial compression to the cervical spine, often with the head rotated toward the affected side. A positive result is the reproduction of radicular pain or paresthesia in a dermatomal distribution, which supports a diagnosis of nerve root compression when considered alongside other findings. The test is one component of the neurological examination and should be interpreted with imaging studies and the broader clinical context. It can produce false positives and is not definitive on its own.

The surname Spurling may also appear in medical literature and in lists of individuals who bear the name. In medical education, Spurling's test is taught as a standard element of the assessment of neck pain and radicular symptoms, alongside other examination maneuvers and diagnostic tools.