Herniated Disc

Herniated Cervical Disc

A herniated cervical disc has definite symptoms in the person who suffers from one. The symptom is always felt in the form of some acute pain. The pain starts acutely and then becomes recurrent until and unless the offending disc is treated, which is mostly through surgical methods.

cervical lumbar herniated disc

Here, we take a look at the different kinds of pains that might indicate a cervical disc that has become herniated.

Shoulder pains are common. If the shoulder pain occurs along with some weakness in the muscles of the upper arm region, then it might indicate a herniated cervical vertebra. However, these pains are special, in that they don’t cause any kind of tingling sensation that is usually accompanied with pains.

Weakness might also occur in the biceps and in the wrist area. This might lead to a pain in the area which radiates up to the thumb. It might be accompanies with characteristic numbness in the wrist as well.

Another indication is weakness in the region of the triceps and pain that radiates up to the fingers. This is always accompanied by a numb sensation. The middle finger is the one that is subjected to the highest amount of pain. If this happens, it is almost always an indication of cervical disc herniation.

herniated cervical disc
back pain

There is another kind of indication in which the grip of the hand becomes feeble. This is accompanied by a pain in the little finger present in the hand.

Cervical Disc Surgery

The cervical spine is the portion of the spinal column that lies in the neck region. The cervical disc surgery includes a surgery over this part of the spine, which is usually done to remove a herniated disc or a disc that might be causing undue stress on neighboring discs, such as is the case with stenosis. In a cervical spine surgery, the offending disc is removed and is then replaced by a bone graft. The bone graft might be held with a screw or other similar kind of support. This gives mobility to the neck and also helps the graft to get fused with the other discs of the cervical area.

However, being a highly invasive process, the cervical spine operation is not without its complications. Here we look at a few of the most commonly-occurring ones.

Cervical Disc Surgery


  • If anything goes wrong with the surgery, it can lead to several problems, such as internal injuries, damage to the spinal cord (which can lead to paralysis) and even loss of the ability to speak. Damage to the food and wind pipes can also occur. If internal bleeding occurs after the surgery, it is considered to be a major complication.
  • Infections occur in a few cases as well. When the incision is healing, it is possible that the wound can be infected with bacteria. This might cause several undesirable symptoms, including oozing from the site of the incision.
  • The devices that are used as supports might break leading to internal damages. This might cause a sensation of great pain and corrective surgeries are needed.

However, the proportion of patients in which these complications occur is quite low and, on the whole, cervical spinal surgery is considered to be a very safe medical procedure.

Back Pain Solutions

As tormenting as back pain can be, often the treatments are found quite easily. Here we discuss some easy back pain solutions that you must try out before seeking any medical help for your problem.

Take the Pressure Off Your Back

In some cases, it is because you have put a lot of pressure on your back that the pain begins. This is often found in lower back pains. To get relief, lay yourself on the floor-a hard floor-and prop your legs (folded at the knees) on a chair. Stay like this for about 30 minutes and then get up slowly. This is considered to be a good lower back pain solution that is quite safe to use.

Stretch

Sometimes, especially if you sit in one position for too long, you start getting lower back pains. Upper back pains might also happen if you have bad posture for a considerable amount of time. In such situation, stretching can help. When you are stretching, do it symmetrically, i.e. make sure that both sides of your body are stretched equally. Don’t go for any jerky movements. It is considered quite detrimental to bounce any part of your body when you are stretching it.

Foment

Fomenting the region where the pain has originated is considered to be a great back pain solution. You must use a hot water bag and foment directly in the region of the pain. Even fomenting for 15-20 minutes at a time can spell good back pain relief.

Massaging with Herbal Oils

If you back pain is a persistent problem, you could try a herbal oil massage. You might want to try this through a professional masseur who also has some knowledge of herbal medicine.

However, if your back pain doesn’t subside even after 3-4 days and has been continuous, you need to seek medical attention for the situation may be more serious than it seems.

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