The main symptoms of herniated cervical disc are pain in the neck, which can spread to the shoulders, arms and hands, and a sensation of tingling and numbness. However, in the most severe cases there may also be decreased muscle strength and difficulty in move your neck.
Herniated cervical disc is the displacement of part of the intervertebral disc, which is the region between one vertebra and another, most often caused by spinal wear and poor posture. Depending on the degree of displacement, the herniated disc does not cause any symptoms or can pass through to compress a nerve, causing pain.
C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6 and C7 vertebrae are part of the cervical spine, with the appearance of cervical disc herniation between the C6 and C7 vertebrae being more common, but regardless of the location of the hernia, its symptoms will always be the same.
Treatment for cervical hernia
Treatment for cervical hernia depends on the location, severity of symptoms and the degree of compression of the spinal nerves. At the beginning of the disease, treatment consists only of rest, analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy and, eventually, using a cervical collar to avoid sudden movements of the neck.
In a more chronic phase of the disease, when the symptoms have lasted for more than 2 months, the recommended procedures are as follows:
- Use painkillers to relieve pain, such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen; Use muscle relaxants, such as cyclobenzaprine; Avoid everything that makes pain worse: heavy physical work, staying in the same position for a long time, making sudden movements; of the neck muscles; Apply hot compresses to the painful area 3x / day; Correction of posture to try to reduce the compression of the roots; Stretch to improve neck movements; Exercise to strengthen the back muscles; Practice activities such as walking, hydrotherapy and pilates.
Check out these and other tips in the following video:
However, if symptoms persist, surgery to remove the hernia and decompress the cervical spine may be recommended. A fusion of the affected vertebrae or insertion of a prosthetic disc may also be performed. Find out what are the causes of cervical hernia to prevent complications.
