Cervicothoracic Junction Disc Herniations Respond to New York City Chiropractic

Thoracic disc herniations. They are not very common. They’re not mentioned much. But thoracic disc herniations do exist. The C7/T1 disc herniations are even more unusual and are shared in the spine literature more because of their unusualness. Rosenberg Wellness Center welcomes unusual! Unusual calls for care and attention. Rosenberg Wellness Center cares for unusual presentations like thoracic disc herniations, especially those at the C7/T1 spinal level which is also known as 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 have a habit of herniating laterally (out to the side) rather than 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 lessen the risk of herniation. They allow flexion and extension and control the extent of lateral flexion in the cervical spine. One medical report documents a rare existence of a central C7/T1 disc herniation that instigated lower extremity numbness and weakness along with gait disturbance though in a patient who had no or very little hand-related symptoms that would otherwise be anticipated. (1) Be confident that your New York City chiropractor will perform a careful examination and discover the root cause of your pain with familiarity of unusual incidences like this.

C7/T1 disc herniations account for 3.5% to 4% of all herniated cervical discs. (2,3) They are inclined 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 extend outward between the C7 vertebra and the T1 vertebra. (4) They lie 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 sometimes confuses the case as pain here is also indicative of ulnar neuropathy). (3,4) It will not be confusing to your New York City chiropractor though! Rosenberg Wellness Center knows the tests to do and questions to ask to make the diagnosis.

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