C8 Disc Herniations Respond to Groton Chiropractic

Thoracic disc herniations. They’re not very ordinary. They are not discussed much. But thoracic disc herniations do exist. The C7/T1 disc herniations are even more unusual and are reported in the spine literature more because of their unusualness. Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office welcomes unusual! Unusual deserves care and attention. Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office 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 adjacent segments, cervical disc herniations (neck) and thoracic disc herniations (mid-back). Why? They are inclined to herniate laterally (out to the side) instead of centrally. What makes that unusual? The C7/T1 disc level does not typically have Luschka joints. These joints hold the intervertebral discs in place and reduce the risk of herniation. They permit flexion and extension and control the amount of lateral flexion in the neck. One medical report documents 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) Know that your Groton chiropractor will perform a careful examination and discern the source of your pain with familiarity of unusual incidences 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 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 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 Groton chiropractor though! Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office 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.