Cervicothoracic Junction Disc Herniations Respond to Manchester Chiropractic

Thoracic disc herniations. They are not very ordinary. They’re not talked about much. But thoracic disc herniations do exist. The C7/T1 disc herniations are even more unusual and are shared in the spine literature more due to their unusualness. Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries embraces unusual! Unusual warrants care and attention. Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries tends to unusual presentations like thoracic disc herniations, specifically those at the C7/T1 level of the spine which is also known as the cervicothoracic junction where the neck joins with the upper back.

C7/T1 disc herniations are unusual from their adjacent segments, cervical disc herniations (neck) and thoracic disc herniations (mid-back). Why? They are inclined to herniate laterally (out to the side) rather than centrally. What makes that unusual? The C7/T1 disc level does not normally have Luschka joints. These joints secure the intervertebral discs in place and lessen the risk of herniation. They allow flexion and extension and control the extent of lateral flexion in the neck. There is a report of a rare episode of a central C7/T1 disc herniation that caused lower extremity numbness and weakness in addition to gait disturbance though in a patient who tells of no or very little hand pain or numbness that would otherwise be anticipated. (1) Know that your Manchester chiropractor will do a careful examination and work out the root cause of your pain with awareness of unusual occurrences like this.

C7/T1 disc herniations account for 3.5% to 4% of all herniated cervical discs. (2,3) They are inclined to be misdiagnosed due to their unusual neurological findings. C7/T1 disc herniations (aka herniations of the C8 disc) instigate weakness in hand muscles.  The C8 nerve roots exit between the C7 and T1 vertebrae. (4) These nerves lie above the C8 disc making it unusual for a disc herniation to compress the C8 nerve. (5) Nevertheless when it does, a C7/T1 disc herniation usually sends pain down the arm into the ring and pinky fingers (which sometimes confuses the case as pain here also suggests of ulnar neuropathy). (3,4) It will not be confusing to your Manchester chiropractor though! Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries is ready with the tests to do and questions to ask to make the diagnosis.

Listen to a podcast about neck pain helped with Cox Technic.