Herniated Disc C4-C5A herniated disc C4-C5 is less common than bulging and ruptured intervertebral discs at the lower cervical levels of C5/C6 and C6/C7. However, this condition is still quite common and is often found in patients with a noticeable loss of lordotic curvature, since this puts the usually safely situated C4/C5 directly in the ideal location to absorb inordinate amounts of spinal shock.What is a Herniated Disc C4-C5?
C4/C5 is an intervertebral level directly in the middle of the cervical spinal curve. This curve is designed to protect the body from shock and cushion the spinal structures. When patients lose the spinal curvature (loss of lordosis), the C4/C5 bears the brunt of much of the cervical movement and must work extra hard to carry and support the substantial weight of the head. This hypolordosis escalates the normal degenerative processes which act on the cervical spine, causing advanced
degenerative disc disease
and possibly contributing to herniations at this spinal level.
Bulging Disc C4-C5 FactsEven though C4/C5 bulges are most commonly associated with lordotic changes, they can occur in anyone, due to normal spinal aging or traumatic disc injury. Most C4/C5 herniations are not problematic or painful, like most other locations for herniated discs. In some cases, a C4/C5 herniations can enact pain through foraminal stenosis of the C5 nerve root, although this condition is far more rare than it is diagnosed. Also, the C4/C5 disc can herniate directly into the spinal cord, causing a spinal stenosis condition, although this is also typically blown out of proportion by diagnostic testing. Most commonly, when foraminal stenosis is diagnosed, the disc may block some of the neuroforaminal space, but does not compress the nerve root in any way. Likewise, when spinal stenosis is diagnosed, the herniated disc may impact the thecal sac, but has no noticeable effect on the actual spinal cord, even if it displaces its normal position.Herniated Disc C4-C5 AdviceTrue C4/C5 issues are rare, but do account for acting as scapegoats for many back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain and arm pain syndromes, which are incorrectly diagnosed. In these cases, the herniated disc is surely present, but is coincidental and innocent of sourcing any pain. It is just there… If your herniated disc treatments for C4/C5 have all failed, I strongly advise you to reconsider your diagnostic conclusion. In these cases, the misdiagnosed herniated disc has you on a fool’s errand seeking relief from a tormentor which is not even the real underlying source of misery…Herniated Disc C4-C5 to Herniated Disc 4/6/10 Revised 7/18/11 |
Sensei Adam Rostocki
Mission Statement
Editorial Board
Legal
Privacy Policy
Site Funding Disclosure
Source Material