Symptoms of pinched nerve in neck include pain, numbness, and weakness in the neck, shoulders, chest, arms, and legs. The condition can be diagnosed by a doctor after a review of the patient’s history and physical examination. The doctor will ask questions that are will determine whether or not the symptoms are caused by irritated nerves. An x-ray, MRI, or CT scan may follow after the period of rest that the doctor prescribes before continuing with further tests.
Herniated disc in the neck treatment is started via non-invasive options such as changes in lifestyle, exercises, and medicines to relieve the pain. Physical therapy is part of the process so that the patient would learn how to perform the exercises properly to prevent further injury to the neck. Some hospitals offer procedures where the patient gets stretched gently to allow the bones to have more space. Stronger medicines will be offered should the first options do not alleviate the symptoms.
Surgery will be the last resort should this fail as well. Weakness, incontinence and genital numbness are tell-tale sign that tells that the patient is in need of surgery. Surgical options:
- Chemonucleolysis where chemicals are used to dissolve the protruding disc,
- Intradiscal Electrothermal Annuloplasty where a needle is inserted into the bulging disc where a heated wire goes through to seal ruptures in the disc,
- Discectomy to relieve compression,
- Tessys method which is a transforaminal endoscopic method to remove herniated disc,
- Laminectomy to relieve nerve compression, artificial disc replacement which aims to treat lower back pain from a degenerated disc
- Nucleoplasty – The common objective of this herniated disc in neck treatment is to relieve stress on the spine to allow the nerves to recover.
