A spinal disc is made of an outer thick material and an inner softer substance. The two serve to cushion the vertebrae. A herniated disc occurs when there is a crack in the thick material allowing the softer substance to come out and rub against the nerve. This can happen anywhere along the spine. When it happens in the neck, the term used is a cervical spine herniate disc. The nerve that is pressed on can become pinched.
SYMPTOMS
When a herniated disc causes pinching of the nerve in the neck, this can result in neck pain shooting down the arm called radiculopathy. Some people experience tingling, numbness or even weakness of the arm. In this case since the pinched nerve is in the neck it is called cervical radiculopathy.
DIAGNOSIS
Your neurosurgeon usually performs a history and physical examination. This can give an idea if you have a pinched nerve they may be caused by a herniated disc and where the herniated disc might be located. This will allow your neurosurgeon to order the correct test for the correct part of the body for the herniated disc. An MRI of the cervical spine is one of the tests that can show a herniated disc of the cervical spine.
NON SURGICAL TREATMENT
Not everyone that has a herniated disc of the cervical spine requires surgery. Some of the non surgical treatment include physical therapy and Epidural Steroid injections. The Epidural Steroid injections involves injecting cortisone to the area of the herniated disc to see if the neck and arm pain or tingling or numbness will get better on its own.
SURGICAL TREATMENT
The surgery for herniated disc of the cervical spine is usually the Anterior Cervical Diskectomy and Fusion. It is sometimes called ACDF surgery. When performing ACDF surgery, your neurosurgeon usually makes an incision in the front part of your neck, removes the herniated disc and replaces it with a piece of bone. A metal plate, usually made of titanium is often screwed on to the spine to hold everything together until your spine grows bone across the area of the surgery, thus achieving spinal fusion. Spinal fusions are also performed in other parts of the spine.
