C8 Disc Herniations Respond to San Jose Chiropractic

Thoracic disc herniations. They’re not very common. They’re not discussed much. But thoracic disc herniations do exist. The C7/T1 disc herniations are even more unusual and are presented in the spine literature more because of their unusualness. Chiropractic Solutions welcomes unusual! Unusual deserves care and attention. Chiropractic Solutions cares for unusual presentations like thoracic disc herniations, specifically those at the C7/T1 spinal level aka the cervicothoracic junction where the neck joins 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) instead of 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 amount of lateral flexion in the neck. There is a report of a rare occurrence of a central C7/T1 disc herniation that caused lower extremity numbness and weakness in addition to gait disturbance though in a patient who had no or very little hand-related symptoms that would otherwise be expected. (1) Be confident that your San Jose chiropractor will perform 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 are likely 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) They sit above the C8 disc making it unusual for a disc herniation to press on the C8 nerve. (5) Nonetheless 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 confuse your San Jose chiropractor though! Chiropractic Solutions knows the tests to do and questions to ask to make the diagnosis.

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