What is Cervical Disk Herniation?
The vertebrae in the neck area of the spine, known anatomically as the cervical vertebrae, are separated by flexible disks of shock absorbing cartilage. These disks have a soft gelatinous core (known as the nucleus) and are made of flexible fibrous tissue. An injury to one of these disks, known as disk herniation, may result in pain and the compression of nerve roots or the spinal cord. Herniated disks are often referred to as ‘slipped or ruptured’ disks. With a herniated disk injury, the nucleus tissue located in the center of the disk is forced out of position. While the disk itself does not ‘slip,’ pressure on the core of the disk may be so bad that a fragment of the nucleus herniates or ruptures out of the outer layer (the annulus) of the disk. Because the spinal canal into which this fragment moves has limited space, a herniated cervical disk presses against spinal nerve roots or against the entire spinal cord. Causes of Cervical Disk Herniation? Most disks that become herniated a
