Neck hernias are less common disorders than lumbar hernias.
Neck pain is a common condition in our society. The reason for this is that the muscles of the neck
are sensitive and the vertebrae forming the neck have a delicate structure.
Neck pains are structures that are frequently affected by situations such as stress, cold and heat changes, and inappropriate postures
. In very few of the neck pains
, neck hernia is the cause.
· Neck hernias are more common in the ages of 20-50. However, they may occur as a result of neck traumas in earlier
periods, and in later ages, due to deterioration of the discs and neck
vertebrae.
· The most common causes of neck pain in our society are stress and inappropriate postures
and neck immobility.
· The most important complaint of patients who usually apply with neck pain is that they feel tension in the neck region
, where the muscles join the skull bones and in the shoulder muscles
. The source of this pain is usually seen in people who are sensitive in social life
and people who can not reveal their problems or who get angry very quickly
. In addition, people who are exposed to cold and hot changes
frequently or who sweat frequently in the neck and back region also experience such neck pain
.
· Neck hernias are a very minor cause of neck pain. They reveal their clinics by the cambering or tearing of the discs, which we call pillows, located between the vertebrae forming the neck
into the canal through which the spinal cord passes
.
· Neck hernias are mostly seen between the C5-6 and C6-7 vertebrae, but they can occur at other levels
. Loss of strength or numbness in the muscles occurs due to the pressure
on the nerves leading to the spinal cord or arms
.
The most important findings in the clinic of neck hernias are numbness and tingling in the arms or one arm
, pain in the arms or one arm,
loss of strength in the arms or one arm. As we can feel these findings
in the whole arm, it is possible to feel
in the muscle groups affected by the nerve affected by the hernia and in the sensory areas
, for example in the hands, forearm and shoulder
. Advanced and very large hernias can also cause loss of strength in the legs
. and this may cause confusion with many diseases.
· The most important diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of neck hernias is examination. The use of expensive methods such as MRI without examination
is unnecessary and unreasonable
as well as unnecessary. Revealing the patient’s clinic provides the differential diagnosis
with many diseases.
· The biggest fear of a patient with neck pain is the thought of having a neck hernia. Examination is a useful method in alleviating this
anxiety.
· If the findings support neck hernia in the examination; MRI planning is suitable for determining the location and effects of neck hernia
. MR
is indeed a confirmatory diagnostic tool
to show the localizations and effects of neck hernias.
· When a neck hernia is detected, the treatment approach changes according to the size of the hernia, the patient’s clinic, age or
the condition of the patient’s current diseases.
· Physical therapy programs, neck braces and medication
are used in cases where the patient has only pain, no loss of strength and the size of the hernia
is borderline.
· Surgery becomes inevitable in cases where neck hernia affects social life and loss of strength occurs
. And it is necessary to remove the hernia.
· Benefit rate of patients as a result of neck hernia surgery; Although it varies according to the clinic before the operation
, the majority of the patients have advanced
relief.
· However, it should not be forgotten that there are complications
in neck hernias as well as waist hernias in every surgery, there is a risk of paralysis in the theoretical sense, but there is also a risk of paralysis in practical terms
, but it is a very rare complication
.
· Neck hernias can be in more than one region, as in lumbar hernias. In this case
, the hernia area where the approach will be made is a situation where the decision
will be made as a result of the patient’s clinic.
Sometimes 2 or more discs in the neck region are curved into the canal and
canal diameter is less than 1 cm, which is called cervical narrow canal in medicine
.
fatigue occurs and strength losses may occur. If the canal diameter is 1
cm or less and there is a clinic, then the procedure to be done is surgical treatment.
· Regular neck exercises
, attention to postures and protection of the neck from traumas
are required to prevent neck hernias.
· Loss of strength, numbness and tingling after neck hernia surgery
may not disappear immediately after surgery. Physical therapy programs to be applied after surgery
for strength losses will be able to restore the old strength
. The numbness and tingling will disappear after 6-12 months.
· It should be noted that if neck pain is accompanied by pain in the arm or arms,
numbness, tingling and loss of strength, it is necessary to suspect a neck hernia
. Another thing that should not be forgotten is that although there are all these
symptoms, it is known that the cause of these events may not be the neck hernia
.
