Cervical Herniated Disc or Ruptured Disc

Rick C. Sasso, MD

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Indiana Spine Group

Indianapolis, IN

Vincent Traynelis, MD

Professor of Neurosurgery

Rush University

Chicago, IL

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A common cause of neck, shoulder and arm pain is a ruptured or herniated cervical disc. Symptoms may include dull or sharp pain in the neck or between the shoulder blades, pain that radiates down the arm to the hand or fingers, or numbness or tingling in the shoulder or arm. Certain positions or movements of the neck can intensify the pain. Spanish / Español

The symptoms of a cervical herniated disc often resemble other disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome, problems with the rotator cuff and gout. In some patients, a cervical herniated disc can cause spinal cord compression where disc material pushes on the spinal cord. This is a much more serious condition and may require a more aggressive treatment plan. Spinal cord compression symptoms include awkward or stumbling gait, difficulty with fine motor skills in the hands and arms, and tingling or “shock” type feelings down the torso or into the legs.

Anatomy – Normal Cervical Disc
In between each of the vertebrae (bones) in the spine is a disc, a tough fibrous shock-absorbing pad. Endplates line the ends of each vertebra and help hold individual discs in place. Each disc contains a tire-like outer band (called the annulus fibrosus) that encases a gel-like substance (called the nucleus pulposus).Nerve roots exit the spinal canal through small passageways between the vertebrae and discs. Pain and other symptoms can develop when the damaged disc pushes into the spinal canal or nerve roots.

normal disc, vertebra, nerves

Cervical disc herniation occurs when the annulus fibrosus breaks open or cracks, allowing the nucleus pulposus to escape. This is called a Herniated Nucleus Pulposus (HNP) or herniated disc.

herniated disc

Posted on: August 4th, 2001
Last Updated on: February 1st, 2010

Peer Reviews by Leading Specialists

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Mark R. McLaughlin, MD

Doctors Sasso and Traynelis describe the basic anatomy and natural history of cervical degenerative spine disease. This is an excellent article that emphasizes the role of lifestyle in the degenerative cascade and overall high success rates with conservative therapy. They are to be commended on synthesizing a very informative, succinct article that covers a very broad topic about a common problem.