C8 Disc Herniations Respond to Plainville Chiropractic

Thoracic disc herniations. They are not very ordinary. They are 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. Layden Chiropractic embraces unusual! Unusual deserves care and attention. Layden Chiropractic cares for unusual presentations like thoracic disc herniations, especially those at the C7/T1 spinal level aka the cervicothoracic junction where the neck connects 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 tend 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 hold the intervertebral discs in place and decrease the risk of herniation. They allow flexion and extension and control the extent of lateral flexion in the neck. One medical report documents a rare existence of a central C7/T1 disc herniation that caused lower extremity numbness and weakness along with gait disturbance though in a patient who had no or very little hand-related symptoms that would otherwise be expected. (1) Know that your Plainville chiropractor will do a careful examination and discern the source of your pain with knowledge 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) These nerves are positioned 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 is also indicative of ulnar neuropathy). (3,4) It will not be confusing to your Plainville chiropractor though! Layden Chiropractic knows the tests to do and questions to ask to make the diagnosis.

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