Cervical Disc HerniationTreatment Without Surgery

A cervical disc herniation occurs when the soft inner material of a disc in the neck pushes through its outer casing and irritates or compresses nearby nerve roots or the spinal cord. The result can range from localized neck pain to radiating arm pain, numbness, and weakness, depending on which nerve is involved.

At Palm Beach Regenerative, Dr. Ghattas brings both neurological expertise and interventional orthobiologic training to the treatment of cervical disc herniations, offering a comprehensive spinal approach that addresses the full cervical unit rather than the disc in isolation. Request your appointment at Palm Beach Regenerative today.

The cervical spine has seven vertebrae and eight pairs of nerve roots. When a disc herniates at a specific level, it typically compresses the nerve exiting at that level, producing a predictable pattern of symptoms in the neck, shoulder, arm, and hand. The most commonly affected levels are C5-C6 and C6-C7.

• Neck pain and stiffness
• Sharp, shooting, or burning pain radiating from the neck into the shoulder, arm, or hand
• Numbness or tingling in the fingers or hand, corresponding to the affected nerve root
• Arm or hand weakness
• Symptoms worsening with certain head positions
• In rare severe cases, difficulty with balance or coordination if the spinal cord is affected

• Age-related disc degeneration reducing disc resilience
• Sudden neck injury or trauma
• Repetitive neck strain from occupation or posture
• Prior cervical spine pathology
• Genetic predisposition to early disc degeneration

MRI of the cervical spine is the definitive imaging tool for identifying the level and severity of disc herniation and assessing nerve compression. Dr. Ghattas reviews cervical MRI in detail, correlating imaging findings with your neurological examination findings.

Electrodiagnostic testing (EMG/nerve conduction studies) may be used to objectively assess nerve function and localize the affected root.

• Physical therapy with cervical traction and targeted strengthening
• Anti-inflammatory medications and nerve pain agents (gabapentin, etc.)
• Cervical epidural steroid injections for nerve root inflammation
• Surgical discectomy and fusion or artificial disc replacement for severe or progressive neurological deficits

Dr. Ghattas treats cervical disc herniations as a whole-unit problem, addressing the disc environment, facet joints, paraspinal ligaments, and nerve structures together. Most cervical spine procedures at Palm Beach Regenerative use platelet-rich plasma (PRP) delivered under real-time fluoroscopic guidance to reduce nerve inflammation and support the surrounding structural tissues.

Direct disc injection is reserved for very specific circumstances and is not the default approach. The focus is on improving the inflammatory environment around the affected nerve root and supporting the stability of the cervical spinal segment.

These treatments do not rebuild the disc. They work by reducing the inflammatory component that amplifies nerve pain, which in many cases provides meaningful functional improvement.