What is a cervical disc herniation?
A cervical disc herniation is when the disc between the cervical vertebrae, the vertebral bodies in the neck, become dislodged. Disc herniation can be asymptomatic, not causing any pain, or it can be severely symptomatic, causing pain or even spinal cord compression. The signs of a herniated cervical disc can range from simple neck pain, trapezius pain, pain into your shoulder blade areas, cervical radiculopathy (pain down into your arms) or spinal cord compression – which can bring on weakness in arms and legs, numbness in hands and feet, tingling sensations, and in the severest cases loss of movement of arms and legs and loss of bowel and bladder function (inability to control your urine or stool). Lateral disc herniations require surgery. Many can be treated by physical therapy and if they are resistant to this, possibly epidural steroid injections can help 50 % of minor disc herniations. Surgery is approximately 95% successful in curing the pain and symptoms brought on by a cervica
The discs between the cervical vertebrae are much smaller than the other discs in the back. They can become weakened, causing some of the disc material to protrude. This generally occurs at the lower level of the neck, at the fifth or sixth vertebra (C-5 or C-6 or C-7). In a cervical disc herniation, the herniated disc generally pushes outward rather than inward on the spinal nerve. This outward protrusion places pressure on the cervical nerve roots, resulting in dysfunction and pain in the neck, arms, and upper body. What causes cervical disc herniation? Accidents, especially those with an abrupt change in speed, are one cause of cervical disc herniation. The weight of the head, when whipped rapidly or violently, exerts tremendous force on the neck muscles and structures. This force can weaken the wall (annulus fibrosus) of the disc, causing the disc material to bulge outward. Disc degeneration related to repetitive minor trauma can also lead to disc herniation. Because the discs betw
