Cervical disc herniation

The vertebral column, also known as the spine, is a complex structure of our body which is part of the axial skeleton, constituting the central part of our body. The spine is composed of 33 smaller units called vertebrae, 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 4 coccygeal. The vertebrae present a canal in their posterior part in which the neural system passes through and innervates different structures to allow sensation and movements. The cervical spine is particularly important as it has the double function of protecting the neural system that innervates the entire body and additionally allowing high degrees of mobility. Between consecutive vertebrae, there are the intervertebral discs, cushion-like structures with the primary function of acting as shock absorbers and allowing spinal mobility and fluidity. A disc herniation is a spinal condition in which the nucleus pulposus (the core of the disc) is displaced from the intervertebral space. Injuries to the discs can occur due to repetitive stresses over time or due to a higher-energy traumatic event. Depending on the specifics of the condition, significantly different symptoms can be reported by patients, from being completely asymptomatic to severe neck and arm pain, stiffness, and neural symptoms (e.g.: tingling, burning, weakness, etc.). Aside from collecting data from the injury mechanisms and performing a physical assessment of the patient, an imaging examination is often performed to optimally visualise the specifics of the injury. It is important to underline that the presence of anatomical abnormalities of the spine detected through imaging is not necessarily related to the symptoms experienced by the patient and that false positives are common. For this reason, a holistic approach is paramount in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with neck conditions.