Cervicothoracic Junction Disc Herniations Respond to Minster Chiropractic

Thoracic disc herniations. They’re not very ordinary. They’re not talked about much. But thoracic disc herniations do exist. The C7/T1 disc herniations are even more unusual and are reported in the spine literature more because of their unusualness. Minster Chiropractic Center welcomes unusual! Unusual merits care and attention. Minster Chiropractic Center cares for unusual presentations like thoracic disc herniations, specifically 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 have a habit of herniating laterally (out to the side) instead of centrally. What makes that unusual? The C7/T1 disc level doesn’t typically have Luschka joints. These joints secure the intervertebral discs in place and decrease the risk of herniation. They permit flexion and extension and restrain the amount 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 Minster chiropractor will do a careful examination and work out the source of your pain with awareness of unusual incidences like this.

C7/T1 disc herniations make up 3.5% to 4% of all herniated cervical discs. (2,3) They are likely to be misdiagnosed due to their unusual neurological findings. C7/T1 disc herniations (aka herniations of the C8 disc) instigate weakness in hand muscles.  The C8 nerve roots exit between the C7 and T1 vertebrae. (4) These nerves are positioned 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 sends 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 won’t be confusing to your Minster chiropractor though! Minster Chiropractic 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.