Herniated Cervical Disc

What Is Herniated Disc?

The disks between vertebrae contain a gel-like substance in the center of them. The outer part of a disk is made up of fibrous cartilage that keeps the gel contained. When the outer part gets tears or splits, the gel can poke out. This is what it means for a disk to become herniated.

Causes:

It can be hard to figure out exactly what causes a herniated cervical disk. It often comes on slowly with no clear cause. But sometimes the reason can be narrowed down to Age: A disk can be more prone to herniating because of wear and tear. When we’re young, our disks have a lot of water in them. But over time as we get older, the amount of water decreases. Less water in the disks means they can become less flexible. And that means when you move, twist, or turn, the chance of it rupturing, or herniating, is greater. In older people, they can rupture with less force. Genetics: Herniated disks also can run in families. Movement: Sudden, jarring motions can cause one. Sudden strain. If you lift a heavy object or turn or twist your upper body too quickly, you can damage a disk.

Symptoms:

• A herniated cervical disk is one of the most common causes of neck pain. If the disk is pressing on a nerve root, other symptoms can include:
• Numbness or tingling in a shoulder or arm that may go down to your fingers
• Weakness in a hand or arm