Cervical Microdiscectomy

The disc is the cushion between the bones of the spine. They are made up of a fibrous outer ring called the annulus fibrosus, and a jelly-like inner material called the nucleus pulposus.  It is the nucleus pulposus that acts as the primary shock absorber within the disc. Over time, or because of a traumatic accident, the annulus fibrosus becomes torn and the jelly-like inner material will start to leak out towards the edges.  If the material reaches the outer edge and pushes the annulus fibrosus out, it is called a disc bulge.  If the last layer tears and the inner material leaks all the way out into the open space, this is called a disc herniation. The outer third of our disc has nerve innervation, which means the disc itself can be a source of pain.  If the nucleus pulposus leaks out and the nearby nerves become irritated or compressed, this can cause many symptoms including: pain into the shoulder or down the arm, numbness/tingling down the arm, and/or weakness of the upper extremity.

If the disc does not respond to conservative treatments, a surgeon may decide that they need to perform a microdiscectomy.  This procedure consist of going in and clipping out the portion of the disc that has extruded out.  There are usually multiple symptoms that can occur with a disc herniation including: pain, muscle spasms, headaches, muscular inhibition, and myotomal weakness. Physical therapy will assess all of theses components and create an individualized program to address the impairments found.

Associated Symptoms:

  • Neck pain
  • Stiffness
  • Decreased range of motion
  • Muscle spasms
  • Headaches
  • Numbness/tingling
  • Myotomal Weakness

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