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Cervical Herniation Treatment

A herniated disc occurs when the discs that cushion the backbone bulge out or rupture. While herniated discs can happen anywhere in the spine, they are most common in the lumbar and neck regions of the spine. Symptoms of a herniated disc include numbness and pain in neck, shoulders and arms.

  1. Medicine

    • The best way to control the pain associated with a herniated disc is by taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines. Since the pain is caused by the inflamed disc and the pinched nerves around it, reducing the inflammation can also reduce pressure put on the nerve. For people in serious pain, steroids are sometimes prescribed. Using steroids is only a short-time answer since long-term use can have ill effects on health.

    Conservative Treatment

    • Doctors recommend conservative treatment for cervical herniated discs before rushing into surgery. The first recommendation is exercise and physical therapy. These exercises strengthen the back and take pressure from the inflamed disc. Putting the head in traction at home also reduces the pressure put onto the disc. Doctors also recommend ceasing activities that will cause strain to the back such as sports and heavy lifting. Sometimes the use of a neck brace is helpful as well.

    Doctors

    • Visiting a chiropractor or osteopath for spinal manipulation may also be helpful. Patients should avoid high-velocity manipulation as it may worsen the condition. Osteopaths can be helpful in working out dysfunctions in the joints. Chiropractors cannot prescribe drugs or perform surgery, so seeing a wide array of doctors can help out in different ways. Sometimes injections of epidural steroids can be effective at not only limited pain, but also minimizing inflammation.

    Surgery

    • If pain from a cervical herniated disc lasts six to 12 weeks, your doctor may opt for surgery. These procedures are common and quite often successful. There is above a 95 percent success rate of reducing pain following surgery. There are numerous types of surgery your doctor may perform. One is an anterior cervical discectomy and spine fusion where the disc is removed and the spine fused together. Other options include the same procedure without fusion, or a posterior cervical discectomy.

    Complications

    • Though surgery for a herniated cervical disc is common, there are some side effects to be aware of. There may be damage to the trachea. Hoarseness may result for a few months following damage to the larynx. Sometimes the doctor will have to go back in and re-fuse the spine. Sometimes there is damage done to the spinal column or nerves. The most severe complications occur less than 1 percent of the time and a secondary procedure (re-fusion) is occasionally required.

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