Herniated Thoracic Disc Symptoms

The thoracic region of the spine consists of twelve vertebrae and their corresponding pads of cartilage located between the cervical spine (neck) and the lumbar spine (lower back). And much like any other herniated disc, the thoracic pads of cartilage can suffer a protrusion or rupture that forces the interior of the pad to impinge into the spinal cord. This often places pressure on the nerves, causing them to become irritated and inflamed. When a nerve is placed under this type of stress, the individual frequently experiences a number of uncomfortable, sometimes painful, symptoms of the condition.

Asymptomatic

• Though most people believe that a herniated disc always causes a problem, a number of individuals won't show any signs or symptoms at all. This is largely due to the severity of the herniation. In very mild occurrences, not enough of the pad has protruded into the spinal cord to place any pressure on the nerves. Without this pressure, symptoms rarely manifest, and a person may never know of the injury.

Pain

• For many people, a herniated thoracic disc means pain. This pain often starts near the area of herniation and emanates out into other regions of the body, especially if the sciatic nerve suffers compression. When this happens, pain is also felt into the buttock and down into the leg of the affected nerve. However, most thoracic disc herniations cause pain within the upper back, chest and abdomen that worsen upon coughing and sneezing.

Tingling and Numbness

• It isn't uncommon for this pain to be accompanied by a sense of tingling or numbness, particularly when nerves undergo more moderate to severe compression. As the thoracic disc places pressure on the nerves, it can infringe upon the impulses sent to and from the brain. If a portion of the nerve is unable to receive these impulses, the affected area or limb may suffer from tingling and numbness.

Weakness

• With more severe compressions, these impulses to and from the brain are diminished even further, resulting in a weakness within the affected area or limb. For some, this weakness is isolated to a single leg or arm. For others, it can affect both legs or both arms. It all depends of the significance of the compression and the nerves involved with this compression.

Incontinence

• While not as common as the other symptoms, it is possible for a herniated thoracic disc to cause incontinence, but this is present only in very severe cases of herniation. The basis for this incontinence is quite similar to that of tingling, numbness and weakness. When a thoracic disc places enough pressure on the nerves responsible for bladder or bowel control, a person can lose some control over these bodily functions.