Cervicothoracic Junction Disc Herniations Respond to Baton Rouge Chiropractic

Thoracic disc herniations. They are not very common. They’re not mentioned 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. Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers embraces unusual! Unusual merits care and attention. Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers cares for unusual presentations like thoracic disc herniations, specifically those at the C7/T1 spinal level which is also known as the cervicothoracic junction where the neck links with the upper back.

C7/T1 disc herniations are unusual from their neighbors, cervical disc herniations (neck) and thoracic disc herniations (mid-back). Why? They tend to herniate laterally (out to the side) rather than centrally. What makes that unusual? The C7/T1 disc level doesn’t typically have Luschka joints. These joints hold the intervertebral discs in place and decrease the risk of herniation. They allow flexion and extension and restrain the amount of lateral flexion in the neck. There is a report of a rare episode of a central C7/T1 disc herniation that triggered lower extremity numbness and weakness as well as 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 Baton Rouge chiropractor will do a careful examination and figure out the root cause of your pain with familiarity of unusual occurrences like this.

C7/T1 disc herniations make up 3.5% to 4% of all herniated cervical discs. (2,3) They tend to be misdiagnosed owing 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 vertebra and the T1 vertebra. (4) They are positioned above the C8 disc making it unusual for a disc herniation to press on the C8 nerve. (5) Nevertheless when it does, a C7/T1 disc herniation usually shoots pain down the arm into the ring and pinky fingers (which may be confusing as pain here also suggests of ulnar neuropathy). (3,4) It won’t be confusing to your Baton Rouge chiropractor though! Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers 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.