Cervical Herniated Disc Symptoms

The symptoms associated with a cervical herniated disc can be varied depending on where the herniation has taken place and how the patient's body responds to pain. As the symptoms progress, the patient will notice nerve damage worsening in the form of numbness. Without treatment, the patient may eventually lose the use of the affected area completely.

Radiating Pain

• A herniated disc acts a bit differently than other types of disc damage, such as a bulging disc. A herniated disc puts pressure on the nerves that surround it, so the most common symptom is pain that radiates through an extremity. The most common place for pain to radiate is down one or both of the legs. If the pain radiates down the left leg, the disc is herniated to the left side of the spine. If the pain radiates down the right leg, the disc is herniated to the right side of the spine. Pain that radiates down both legs could indicate two herniated discs that protrude to either side of the spine.

Referred Pain

• Although the condition of a cervical herniated disc originates in the spine, the pain is often referred to a different part of the body. For example, it's common for the pain associated with a herniated disc to appear at the knee and radiate down to the ankle, even though the problem is actually located in the spine. When pain originates in one part of the body but is felt in another part of the body, that's called referred pain. Referred pain is a primary symptom of a herniated disc.

Arm Pain

• A herniated disc can happen anywhere on the spine. One of the most common locations for a cervical herniated disc is the upper spine. Among the more noticeable symptoms of a herniated disc in the upper spine is a tingling sensation in the arm on the side where the herniation is. As the condition is left untreated, this tingling eventually turns to numbness and the patient notices a loss of muscle use in the affected arm.

Neck Pain

• A cervical herniated disc can also cause pain when a patient moves his neck. The most common symptom of a herniated cervical disc in the neck is pain when moving the neck from side to side, and pain when looking straight up. This pain seems to dissipate when the patient puts her chin closer to her chest.

Fingers

• Depending on which disc is herniated, the sensations can reach all the way to the fingers on the hand of the affected side. Specifically, the pain wraps around the thumb or the index finger and begins to cause the same tingling sensation as the arm would experience. It's possible to only experience the tingling and eventual numbness in the top of the hand and the fingers, depending on where the cervical herniated disc is located.