Cervical Radiculopathy from a Herniated Disc
A herniated disc can cause multiple issues and can happen anywhere along the spine. When a herniation occurs in the neck, it may leak into the spinal canal or nerve root canal. If it leaks into the nerve root canal, it’s known as cervical radiculopathy from a herniated disc. This may cause symptoms like pain, tingling, burning, numbness, or weakness. Symptoms may radiate into the shoulder, arm, hand, and fingers.
Cervical disc herniations are not as common as lumbar herniations, though. In fact, most occur in people aged 30-50. Two main reasons make them less common, such as:
- Less force across the cervical spine area
- Less cervical disc material in the cervical spine area
Transition of Pain with Cervical Radiculopathy from a Herniated Disc
Most herniated discs and associated pain resolves on their own. Until then, it can be very disruptive to your everyday life and reduce the quality of living. However, many cases often see a reduction in pain within 4-6 weeks. Some may experience reduced symptoms up to six months. On the other hand, some report being symptom-free by the 2-3 year mark of initial onset of symptoms.
The worst pain happens at the onset of the herniation. This is when the inflammatory proteins hit the nerve root and compress. Slowly the fluid begins to dry up, and less protein is released. Therefore, pain and symptoms start resolving.
Treatment Options for Cervical Radiculopathy from a Herniated Disc
Most cervical disc herniations don’t require surgery. Most resolve on their own over time. However, surgery may be warranted if symptoms persist or get progressively worse.
Cervical radiculopathy from a herniated disc symptoms tends to be worse than a bone spur or bony overgrowth. Because the inner portion of the disc (the nucleus pulposus) contains inflammatory proteins, and once they’re expelled, they flow into the root nerve canal. The meeting of the two ignites pain and other symptoms that then radiate from the shoulder, down the arm, and possibly into the hand and fingers.
The most common symptoms related to cervical radiculopathy from a herniated disc, such as:
- Burning or shock-like pain
- Pins and needles, tingling effect
- Weakness and loss of strength in the shoulder, arm, and hand
- Numbness, with a possible tingling sensation
Depending on which disc has been herniated and which nerve root was affected will also determine the symptoms. For instance, a C6 herniation would commonly affect the thumb and index finger, while C8 radiculopathy may send pain and other symptoms to the pinky finger.
Diagnosing Cervical Radiculopathy
Your doctor will get your history and do a physical exam first, including the Spurling’s test. This requires moving and twisting your neck towards the painful side and putting pressure on it to see if it recreates your symptoms.
Sometimes, additional information is required and the physician will order an MRI. An MRI is a strong magnetic scan that can detect a herniation in the spine and impinging the nerve root. If an MRI can’t be done, another beneficial scan is by diagnosing a herniated disc is the Cat Scan or CT.