Cervicothoracic Junction Disc Herniations Respond to Manahawkin Chiropractic

Thoracic disc herniations. They’re not very ordinary. They’re not mentioned 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. Manahawkin Chiropractic Center embraces unusual! Unusual merits care and attention. Manahawkin Chiropractic Center tends to 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) instead of centrally. What makes that unusual? The C7/T1 disc level doesn’t normally have Luschka joints. These joints hold the intervertebral discs in place and lessen the risk of herniation. They permit flexion and extension and limit the amount of lateral flexion in the cervical spine. One medical report documents a rare occurrence of a central C7/T1 disc herniation that produced lower extremity numbness and weakness along with gait disturbance though in a patient who tells of no or very little hand pain or numbness that would otherwise be expected. (1) Be confident that your Manahawkin chiropractor will perform a careful examination and discern the root cause of your pain with awareness of unusual occurrences 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 due to their unusual neurological findings. C7/T1 disc herniations (aka herniations of the C8 disc) produce weakness in hand muscles.  The C8 nerve roots exit between the C7 and T1 vertebrae. (4) These nerves 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 fires pain down the arm into the ring and pinky fingers (which sometimes confuses the case as pain here also suggests of ulnar neuropathy). (3,4) It will not confuse your Manahawkin chiropractor though! Manahawkin Chiropractic Center 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.