Week 3 - Cervical Disc Prolapse

Question 1

What are the 2 types of cervical disc prolapse?

Answer 1

acute

degenerative

Question 2

what are the symptoms of cervical disc prolapse?

Answer 2

Neck pain
if nerve root compression is present - shooting neuralgic pain down a dermatomal distribution with weakness and loss of reflexes depending on nerve root affected

Question 3

what is the most commonly involved nerve root?

Answer 3

lower nerve root of the affected level

- i.e C7 root affected in C6/7 disc prolapse

Question 4

what can a large central prolapse cause?

Answer 4

can compress the spinal cord leading to a myelopathy with upper motor neuron symptoms and signs

Question 5

how is cervical disc prolapse investigated?

Answer 5

clinical findings

MRI - shows affected level

Question 6

what is the risk with MRI diagnosis?

Answer 6

large risk of false positives as many people have asymptomatic disc prolapses

Question 7

how is cervical disc prolapse treated?

Answer 7

conservative management

surgery if unresponsive