CERVICAL PATHOLOGY - DISC PROTRUSION
Cervical Spine Pathology Intervertebral Disc Protrusion patient education graphics

A herniated nucleus can not be pushed back into the disc by exercises nor surgery, and a torn annulus can not be sutured closed by surgery. The natural repair process using scar formation is the only way to heal the annulus tear. The symptoms of most herniations resolve over six to twelve weeks, so wherever possible, your doctor will try to wait for this to occur. The surrounding inflammation decreases, the annulus tear scars over and any extruded material shrinks. Urgent surgery is used to remove bulging disc material that is compressing nerves and causing severe arm symptoms, before permanent damage is done to the nerves, and the arm symptoms become irreversible. Sometimes it is necessary to remove the entire disc. In this case, sometimes the neck pain does resolve. Cervical Spine Pathology Intervertebral Disc Protrusion patient education graphics.