Bulging disc

A bulging disc injury is a common spine injury sustained to your spine's intervertebral disc. It can occur in your lumbar spine (lower back), thoracic spine (upper and mid-back) or your cervical spine (neck).

Spinal discs are the shock-absorbing rings of fibrocartilage and glycoprotein that separate your bony vertebral bodies, while allowing movement at each spinal level, and enough room for the major spinal nerves to exit from the spinal canal and travel to your limbs.

The annulus is the outer section of the spinal disc, consisting of several layers of multi-directional fibrocartilaginous fibres all densely packed to create a wall around the glycoprotein filled jelly-like disc nucleus. 

The degree of spinal disc injury varies considerably from mild disc strains or internal derangments, mild-moderate-severe disc bulges through to complete disc rupture and herniation of the nucleus through the annular wall.

The fluid component, or disc nucleus, in the disc centre is like the caramel inside a chocolate. It normally moves within the annulus adjusting to the pressures placed on your spine.

However, if you injure the annulus, the wall weakens and the nucleus can press outwards on the weakened disc wall, causing your disc to bulge outwards.

A disc bulge (commonly referred to as slipped disc, can potentially press against or irritate the nerve where it exits from the spine. This nerve pinch can cause back pain, spasms, cramping, numbness, pins and needles, or pain into your legs.

Herniated Disc

Discs are the cushions between the vertebrae -- the bones -- of your spine. When part of the disk becomes weak, such as from excessive physical strain, the gel within the disc can bulge, protrude, or extrude. This is commonly referred to as a herniated, ruptured, or slipped disc. When this occurs, the nerves from the spinal cord may become compressed, causing back pain and shooting pain down the legs called sciatica

Sign and TM

Symptoms of Cervical Radiculopathy

The main symptom of cervical radiculopathy is pain that spreads into the arm, neck, chest, upper back and/or shoulders. A person with radiculopathy may experience muscle weakness and/or numbness or tingling in fingers or hands. Other symptoms may include lack of coordination, especially in the hands.

Treatments of Cervical Radiculopathy

Cervical radiculopathy may be treated with a combination of pain medications such as corticosteroids (powerful anti-inflammatory drugs) or non-steroidal pain medication like ibuprofen (Motrin or Aleve) and physical therapy. Steroids may be prescribed either orally or injected epidurally (into the space above the dura, which is the membrane that surrounds the spinal cord).

Physical therapy might include gentle cervical traction and mobilization, exercises, and other modalities to reduce pain. If significant compression on the nerve exists to the extent that motor weakness results, surgery may be necessary to relieve the pressure.

Definition and Causes

What Is Cervical Radiculopathy?

Cervical radiculopathy is the damage or disturbance of nerve function that results if one of the nerve roots near the cervical vertebrae is compressed. Damage to nerve roots in the cervical area can cause pain and the loss of sensation in different parts of the upper extremities, depending on where the damaged roots are located.

Causes of Cervical Radiculopathy

Damage can occur as a result of pressure from material from a ruptured disc, degenerative changes in bones, arthritis or other injuries that put pressure on the nerve roots. In middle-aged people, normal degenerative changes in the discs can cause pressure on nerve roots. In younger people, cervical radiculopathy tends to be the result of a ruptured disc, perhaps as a result of trauma. This disc material then compresses the nerve root, causing pain.