Articles » Injuries » Injuries of the torso » Cervical Disc Prolapse

Cervical Disc Prolapse (Slipped Disc)

What it Effects

• The intervertebral discs of the cervical spine
• Surrounding nerves

Who it Effects

• Common between the ages of 30 to 50yrs

Mechanism of Injury

• The discs can be injured in different ways however the result is the same
• The discs are like a jammy doughnut, soft on the inside (the jam) and hard on the outside (the dough)
• When a disc prolapses the jam (nucleus) is pushed out the dough (annulus) and puts pressure on the surrounding nerves
• There is not, as the name ’slipped disc’ suggests movement of the disc

Signs and Symptoms

• Pain + + at the site of injury
• Pain referred into the shoulder and down the arm (nerve involvement)
• Pain increased when the neck is moved
• Pain increased during coughing and sneezing due to increased pressure exerted on the disc
• Upper limb (arm) muscle weakness
• Atrophy (wasting) of muscles due to disuse
• Muscle spasm
• Reduced reflexes

Treatment

• Seek medical advice
• Pain killers
• Rest
• A collar maybe prescribed but should not be worn for more than 48hrs if possible
• Exercises prescribed by a qualified physiotherapist

Additional Information

• Neck pain and pain down the arm do not always present together, you can have one or the other

If you have any questions, please use the comment form below or post a thread on the forums.