Cervicothoracic Junction Disc Herniations Respond to New Roads Chiropractic

Thoracic disc herniations. They’re not very common. 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 due to their unusualness. New Roads Chiropractic Center embraces unusual! Unusual calls for care and attention. New Roads Chiropractic Center 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 doesn’t normally have Luschka joints. These joints secure the intervertebral discs in place and lessen the risk of herniation. They permit flexion and extension and restrain the extent of lateral flexion in the cervical spine. One medical report documents a rare episode of a central C7/T1 disc herniation that produced lower extremity numbness and weakness as well as gait disturbance though in a patient who had no or very little hand-related symptoms that would otherwise be expected. (1) Know that your New Roads chiropractor will do a careful examination and work out the source of your pain with awareness of unusual incidences 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 owing to their unusual neurological findings. C7/T1 disc herniations (aka herniations of the C8 disc) produce weakness in hand muscles.  The C8 nerve roots extend outward between the C7 and T1 vertebrae. (4) These nerves sit above the C8 disc making it unusual for a disc herniation to press on the C8 nerve. (5) But 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 is telling of ulnar neuropathy). (3,4) It won’t be confusing to your New Roads chiropractor though! New Roads Chiropractic Center knows the tests to do and questions to ask to determine the diagnosis.

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