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• Cervical Spine Nerve Roots

Cervical Spine Nerve Roots

The eight pairs of cervical spine nerve roots originate in, and branch from, the cervical area of your spinal cord, which resides in the neck. The cervical spine and its seven protective vertebrae extend from the base of your skull to the top of your thoracic spine, or mid-back. The brain sends motor signals down spinal cord to enable movements of the neck, upper chest, shoulders and arms, while sensory information is carried in the opposite direction to transmit sensation and perception stimuli to the brain.

The cervical spine and its nerve roots are prone to a variety of disorders, including:

• Ankylosing spondylitis - a disease in which sacroiliac joints between cervical vertebrae fuse together over time. Symptoms include stiffness and pain.
• Myelopathy - a degenerative disorder associated with spinal stenosis, or narrowing of the spinal column that pinches surrounding nerves. Symptoms range from slight difficulty while walking to the complete inability to move.
• Spondylolysis - the pars interarticularis (connecting bones between the vertebrae) are malformed due to birth defect or injury. As a result, the spinal canal narrows and spine nerve roots become compressed. Neck pain, loss of arm strength, and difficulty walking are common symptoms.
• Whiplash - a car accident hyper-extends the neck. Results in bulging, ruptured or torn intervertebral cervical discs that compress cervical nerve roots. Symptoms include pain and stiffness.

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If you are experiencing symptoms of weakness, pain, or tingling in your neck or arms, you may be experiencing compression of a nerve root in the cervical region. A conservative course of anti-inflammatory medication, heat packs, and physical therapy will often help you to achieve pain relief. However, should these treatments prove ineffective, contact Laser Spine Institute (LSI) to learn about our alternative, outpatient procedures that are performed using the latest endoscopic technology. Contact us today to schedule a free review of your MRI or CT scan.

Please note: Laser Spine Institute currently does not perform endoscopic procedures on the thoracic spine.