Herniated Cervical Disc

There are soft rubbery pads found between vertebrae called discs. These discs allow the back to flex or bend, as well as act as shock absorbers. A herniated disc occurs when your disc ruptures out through a tear typically due to natural wear and tear.

Cause

Cervical disc herniation is caused by bad posture, gradual wear and tear, and external trauma. A herniated disc can irritate nearby nerves and result in pain, numbness or weakness in an arm or leg.

Staying seated for a long time with poor posture

External trauma to the neck

Lifting heavy objects

Symptoms

Pain in the neck, shoulder, arm, and head. Pain worsens when intra-abdominal pressure increases. (coughing, sneezing, bowel movement). Numbness, tingling, and weakness in the body parts served by the affected nerves

Tests and Diagnosis

X-rays can show the general structure of your cervical spine, MRI shows any nerve root pinching and clearly images nerves and discs, CT scan is useful in determining the state of the herniation and calcification of the ligament (a CT scan is necessary before surgery to check whether the disc herniation is soft or hard). An electromyogram can also detect nerve damage and muscle weakness

Treatment

Non-surgical Treatment

Rest, medication, physical therapy, chiropractic care, exercises, Injection treatment

Epidural Decompression – Epidural injections (thickness of 1mm) are administered into the epidural space to reduce inflammation of the nerve and the disc.

Low temperature high radio frequency Neuroplasty– Your doctor uses low temperature high frequency technology inside your cervical disc to return the disc to a normal size and reduce pressure on the nerves.

Surgical Treatment

Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion – The surgeon makes a small incision on your neck and exposes the bony vertebra and disc. The portion of the ruptured disc that is pressing on the nerve is removed, and then filled with a bone graft to create a fusion. This will provide stability and pain relief for your neck

Minimally Invasive Arthroscopic Posterior Cervical Laminectomy– The surgeon makes a tiny incision in the back of your neck, and the ruptured disc is removed and the spaces through which the nerve roots exit the spine are enlarged to prevent future pinching.

Cervical Artificial Disc Replacement– The artificial disc is inserted into the damaged joint space and preserves motion and prevents disc degeneration.