Genetics: individuals may have a family history of early onset herniated disks, or many family members with a history of a herniated disk.Aging: herniated disks are most common in people aged 35 to 55.

These ‘cushions’ are soft tissue sitting between bones. When the bulge occurs, this may cause a range of nerve-related signs and symptoms if surrounding nerves are compressed. This causes the inside of the ‘cushion’ to budge (herniate) out of normal position.

Learn more about surgery for CSM: Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: Surgical Treatment Options.A herniated disk occurs when the ‘ cushions’ (intervertebral disks) between the bones of the spine (vertebrae) weaken or tear. The procedure your doctor recommends will depend on many factors, including which symptoms you are experiencing and the levels of the spinal cord that are involved. There are several procedures that can be performed to help relieve pressure on the spinal cord. Your doctor will help you decide if surgery is the right treatment for you. Surgical TreatmentĬSM is generally a surgical condition. Narcotics are usually prescribed for a limited time only.Īlthough people sometimes turn to chiropractic manipulation for neck and back pain, manipulation should never be used for spinal cord compression. These medications are reserve for patients with severe pain that is not relieved by other options. Although a steroid injection may temporarily help relieve pain and swelling, it will not relieve pressure on the spinal cord and is often contraindicated, as it can make CSM worse. Although not often used to treat CSM, in this procedure, steroids are injected into the space next to the covering of the spinal cord (the epidural space) to help reduce local inflammation. A short course of oral corticosteroids may help relieve pain by reducing inflammation. Anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen can help relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

In some cases, medications can help improve your symptoms. In some cases, traction can be used to gently stretch the joints and muscles of the neck. Physical therapy can also help you maintain strength and endurance so that you are better able to perform your daily activities. Specific exercises can help relieve pain, strengthen neck muscles, and increase flexibility. A soft collar should only be worn for a short period of time since long-term wear may decrease the strength of the muscles in your neck. Your doctor may advise you to wear a soft cervical collar to allow the muscles of the neck to rest and limit neck motion. This is a padded ring that wraps around the neck and is held in place with velcro. Nonsurgical treatment will not create more space in the spinal canal for the spinal cord in other words, it does not treat the underlying condition. The goal of nonsurgical treatment is to decrease pain and improve the patient's ability to perform daily activities. In milder cases, initial treatment for CSM may be nonsurgical. Because these types of injuries often affect the muscles and ligaments that support the vertebrae, they may lead to spinal cord compression. An injury to the neck - such as from a car accident, sports, or a fall - may also lead to myelopathy.įor example, a rear end car collision may result in hyperextension, a backward motion of the neck beyond its normal limits, or hyperflexion, a forward motion of the neck beyond its normal limits. When this occurs, the upper vertebra may slide forward on top of the lower vertebra, reducing the amount of space available for the spinal cord. In rheumatoid arthritis, immune cells attack the synovium, the thin membrane that lines the joints.Īs the synovium swells, it may lead to pain and stiffness and, in severe cases, destruction of the facet joints in the cervical spine. This means that the immune system attacks its own tissues. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. Although these conditions are not related to disk degeneration, they may result in the same symptoms as CSM. Myelopathy can also arise from other conditions that cause spinal cord compression. (Left) Cross-section view and (right) side view of a herniated disk.

Bulging disk xray