Cervicothoracic Junction Disc Herniations Respond to Baton Rouge Chiropractic

Thoracic disc herniations. They’re not very common. 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 due to their unusualness. Capitol Spine & Rehabilitation embraces unusual! Unusual deserves care and attention. Capitol Spine & Rehabilitation 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 links 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 are inclined to herniate 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 decrease the risk of herniation. They permit flexion and extension and restrain the amount of lateral flexion in the neck. There is a report of a rare occurrence of a central C7/T1 disc herniation that produced lower extremity numbness and weakness in addition to gait disturbance though in a patient who tells of no or very little hand pain or numbness that would otherwise be expected. (1) Know that your Baton Rouge chiropractor will perform a careful examination and uncover the source of your pain with familiarity of unusual occurrences like this.

C7/T1 disc herniations account for 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) produce weakness in hand muscles.  The C8 nerve roots exit between the C7 and T1 vertebrae. (4) They sit above the C8 disc making it unusual for a disc herniation to compress the C8 nerve. (5) Nevertheless 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 won’t confuse your Baton Rouge chiropractor though! Capitol Spine & Rehabilitation is ready with the tests to do and questions to ask to determine the diagnosis.

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