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Best Treatment For C5-C6 Disc Bulge, Herniation & Spondylosis

The C5-C6 disc bulge treatment program at Chiropractic Specialty Center® (CSC) is the most comprehensive non-surgical slipped disc treatment for C5-C6. The C5-C6 disc slip disc (bulging or herniated disc) is through evidence-based chiropractic, clinical physiotherapist, and NSD Therapy®. CSC’s C5-C6 treatment is ideal for all types of neck issues, including:

The C5-C6 disc bulge treatment program at Chiropractic Specialty Center® (CSC) is a holistic and comprehensive method that focuses on repairing all root causes for faster improvements with lasting relief.

CSC’s Clinical Team

Neck pain treatment at CSC is integrative through evidence-based chiropractic combined with clinical physiotherapy in KL and rehabilitation. We provide the most holistic neck pain treatment for the C4-C5, C5-C6, and C6-C7. This article provides in-depth information on the C5-C6 spinal motion and the common issues known to cause pain. You don’t have to live with C5-C6 pain; we can help; contact us today.

Where Is The C5-C6 Located?

The C5-C6 motion segment is located in the lower neck at the junction where the top of the shoulders meets the neck. It consists of the two vertebrates, the C5-C6, connecting to each other through four facet joints, several ligaments, and the spinal disc. The primary function of the C5-C6 segment of the neck is to protect the spinal cord at C5-C6, provide flexibility, and support the weight of the head and neck. In many ways, the C5-C6 is the workhorse of the neck.

What Caused My C5-C6 Neck Pain?

Some experience C5-C6 neck pain as a fleeting problem, but neck pain is a life-altering event for many. C5-C6 neck pain can range from mild discomfort or ache to severe and disabling pain. The most important thing to know is that C5-C6 nack pain is progressive. In other words, today’s mild aches and pains become the severe and disabling pains of tomorrow. Therefore, it behooves us not to heed the warning! As such, fix mild C5-C6 issues before they worsen.

For the C5-C6 motion segment to work well, its ligaments, muscles, joints, spinal discs, the two exiting C6 spinal nerves, or spinal cord must be at or near-normal levels of function. C5-C6 pain results when the neck structures are stressed, injured, worn out, or degenerated. Sports injuries, automobile accidents (whiplash injuries), tech neck, poor posture, scoliosis, or activities stress the C5-C6 joints, nerves, spinal cord, of soft tissues. The 15 most common conditions known to cause C5-C6 pain include:

  1. Bulging discs
  2. Herniated discs
  3. Cervical facet syndrome
  4. Spondylosis
  5. Spondylolisthesis
  6. Degenerative disc disease
  7. Cervical facet degenerative
  8. Cervical facet arthritis or arthropathy
  9. Foraminal stenosis or intervertebral foraminal stenosis
  10. Spinal canal stenosis
  11. Osteoarthritis of bone spurs
  12. Subluxations
  13. Fractures
  14. Infections
  15. Tumors

What Makes CSC’s C5-C6 Treatment Better for Slip Disc, Spondylolysis & Spondylolisthesis?

Chiropractic Specialty Center® (CSC) has been treating spine and joint pain and injuries for over 15-years. What makes us better than competing centers is the comprehensive natured methods and breakthrough therapy devices by an award-winning team of physiotherapists & chiropractors in Kuala Lumpur. At CSC, the C5-C6 neck pain treatment is customized to target the root cause of a patient’s complaint or aches & pains. Before treatment is given, one of our chiropractors will thoroughly assess your spine. Our clinical team pays special attention to the neck, chest, upper back, and upper extremities for patients presenting with C5-C6 health-related issues. We may require diagnostic imaging such as x-rays, CT scans, or an MRI to identify all root causes. Diagnosis is the most critical aspect as it dictates the type of treatment we provide.

Once your diagnosis is finalized, our clinical team will formulate a personalized treatment and therapy program to fix and repair damaged tissues and structures non-invasively. C5-C6 problems can involve the muscles, ligaments, joints, spinal discs, or spinal nerves. Moreover, most present with multiple co-occurring issues or issues at their C5-C6, including:

  • Bulging disc
  • Herniated disc & extruded disc
  • Protruded disc or prolapsed disc
  • Spondylolisthesis
  • Spondylosis
  • Facet degenerative and arthritis
  • Cervical facet syndrome
  • Spinal canal or foraminal stenosis
  • Scoliosis

What Are The Best & Most Effective Physiotherapy & Chiropractic Treatment For The C5-C6?

The best treatment for a C5-C6 slipped discs, facet, muscle, or ligament issue is a combination of chiropractic with physiotherapy. For best results, avoid twisting or rotatory treatments from physiotherapists or chiropractors. Rotatory therapy movements often result in more damage in patients with degenerated spinal discs or degenerative joint changes (cervical facet syndrome).

CSC’s integration of chiropractic with physiotherapy provides the most encamping holistic treatment for faster improvements with lasting relief. Our C5-C6 treatments are through our physiotherapists and doctors of chiropractic. Here are some of the procedures, therapies, and treatments we provide for patients with asymptomatic C5-C6:

  1. Spinal decompression therapy
  2. HILT or High-Intensity Laser Therapy
  3. Specialized methods of Cryo-Therapy with QMD cryotherapy
  4. Machine
  5. Shockwave therapy
  6. Ultrasound therapy
  7. Thermal treatment by QMD thermal therapy device
  8. Flexion-distraction therapy
  9. Electrotherapy
  10. Manual therapy by a certified physiotherapist that includes stretching, myofascial release & trigger point therapy
  11. Exercise & rehabilitation
  12. Vitamin and nutritional supplement advice and lifestyle modification when needed

The C5-C6 Motion Segment

The C5 and C6 vertebrae are interconnected in the front and back:

  • In the front: The C5-C6 connection in the front or anteriorly is by the anterior longitudinal ligament and the C5-C6 spinal disc. The anterior longitudinal ligament is a fibrous band of connective tissue that runs down in front of the spine connecting each segment, stabilizing joints, and preventing excessive forward bending. The spinal discs are rigid yet soft interwoven, highly specialized fibrocartilaginous structures that provide shock-absorbance and flexibility through their firm attachments at the bottom and top of every vertebra from C2-S1. The C5-C6 spinal disc is the largest and most mobile spinal disk in the neck. Moreover, the C5-C6 spinal minimizes the amount of the weight on the facet (joints) to prevent premature wear and tear.
  • In the back: The C5-C6 motion segment is further connected through the ligaments and joints in the back of the neck. The lower pair of facets from C5 forms a joint (articulates) with the upper two facets of the C6. The C5-C6 articulates through the facets are strengthened and held together by encapsulation facet ligaments that hold the C5-C6 joint firmly in place while allowing it weight-bearing abilities while limiting forward-backward (flexion-extension) and rotational (twisting) motions.

C5-C6 is the neck’s workhorse because of the location and sheer size of the C5-C6 spinal disc. INcreased stress or strain of the interconnecting parts (ligaments, disc, or joints) of the C5-C6 results in degenerative and arthritic changes, causing various symptoms.

C5-C6 Motion Segment Is The Most Crucial Neck Segment

C5-C6 and C4-C5 have long been touted as the two most mobile spinal segments in the neck. In addition to being the two most mobile segments, they are the two most stressed spinal motions segments in the cervical spine.

There is no doubt about their critical role when it comes to the stability of the neck and upper back. Due to their location and the amount of stress it carries daily, the C5-C6 and the C4-C5 are also the most common sites for degenerative arthritis, disc bulge, and disc herniation. C5-C6 is the more mobile motion segment than the C4-C5, making it the most common source of neck pain. So, the stiffness, discomfort, or aches you feel from time to time could be due to a problem caused by the stresses placed on the C5-C6 motion segment. To understand the importance of the C5-C6 disc, all we need to do is look at the spinal disc between the C5 and C6.

The interverbal disc height in the mid and lower cervical levels at C4-C5, C5-C6, and C6-C7 were clinically assessed and reported in a published research study in the Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research (a publication of the Association of Bone and Joint surgeons), with the following observations:

  • C4-C5 spinal disc size was observed at 59.71 mm2
  • The authors measured C5-C6 spinal disc size at 59.88 mm2
  • The authors of the study noted the C6-C7 spinal disc size to be 52.11 mm2

What Are C5-C6 Symptoms?

C5-C6 symptoms are dependent on the severity of the damage. We have listed some of the three most common symptoms associated with a mild C5-C6 motion segment below:

  • Neck stiffness
  • Upper back pain, pain at the shoulder blade, or between the shoulder blades
  • Headaches & loss of energy

Patients with moderate C5-C6 problems may also have additional complaints as mentioned below:

  • Numbness & tingling in the lower neck, chest, or upper back
  • Numbness & tingling in shoulder, arm, wrist, hand, or fingers
  • Burning sensation in the neck, upper back, shoulders, arms, or hands
  • Some may start to feel slight weakness in the neck, shoulder, arm, elbow, or writing on one or both sides

However, in patients with severe C5-C6 neck issues, symptoms can include all of the common symptoms mentioned above in combination with the ones noted below for patients with severely damaged or problematic C5-C6 segment:

  • Moderate to severe weakness in shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists, hands, and finger
  • Paralysis of shoulders, arms, hands, and fingers
  • Wrist drops are a condition resulting from severe nerve damage resulting in paralysis of the wrist’s extension muscles, forcing the hand to dangle downward.
  • Muscles imbalances & Significant weakness in upper and lower limbs
  • Paraplegia of the upper limb refers to paralysis of the shoulders, arms, wrists, and hands, often seen in patients with severely damaged C5-C6 resulting in significant compression of the spinal cord at C5-C6.
  • Quadriplegia is complete C5-C6 paralysis of both arms and legs. In most instances, quadriplegic C5-C6 patients present with multiple issues related to their neck, including the C5-C6. Severe cord compression resulting from slip-discs, spondylosis, spondylolisthesis, and bone spurs are often the cause.

What Are The Most Common Slip Disk Symptoms Of C5-C6?

The severity of pain and symptoms of a slipped disk at C5-C6 is directly related to the severity of the damage C5-C6 disc (bulging or herniation). A C5-C6 bulging disc or a C5-C6 herniated disc results when the disc is degenerated and worn out. A slip Disk at C5-C6 is dangerous because it can compress the spinal cord or exit the C6 nerve. We have listed the common symptoms of a C5-C6 disc bulge or herniation (slip disk or slipped disc) below:

  1. Constant or frequent neck discomfort, stiffness, or pain at the rest that worsens with neck movements
  2. Moderate to lower neck or upper back pain (pain at the shoulder blades or between the shoulder blades) when tilting the head and neck pain
  3. Pain when coughing and sneezing
  4. Numbness, tingling & burning sensation in the lower neck, upper back, or down the arms
  5. Weakness in arms, hands, or fingers
  6. Wrist drop

What Are The Common Cause Of A C5-C6 Related Neck Pain?

The C5-C6 motion segment is the most mobile segment in the neck, making it one of the most common sites in developing neck problems, including aches, pains, numbness, tingling, and weakness. We have listed the 20 most common disorders and conditions that impact the C5-C6 below:

  1. C5-C6 slipped disc or slip disk (bulging, herniated, protruded, prolapsed, and extruded spinal discs)
  2. C5-C6 spinal canal Stenosis
  3. Torn & degenerated ligaments
  4. C5-C6 facet arthropathy or facet arthritis
  5. C5-C6 bone spurs or osteoarthritis
  6. Weak or torn neck muscles
  7. C5-C6 facet joint inflammation
  8. Misalignment of C5 on C6 or vertebral subluxations
  9. C5-C6 disc degeneration
  10. C5-C6 facet syndrome
  11. Cervical facet subluxation or facet dislocation
  12. C5-C6 cervical spondylolisthesis
  13. A C5-C6 spondylolisthesis
  14. Spinal cord compression at the C5-C6 level
  15. Compression & impingement of the C6 nerve
  16. Cervical kyphosis
  17. Cervical Scoliosis
  18. Fracture of C5 or C6 vertebrate
  19. C5-C6 discitis (infection of the intervertebral disc)
  20. Tumors & neoplasms

The Cervical Spinal Discs

The spinal discs are rubbery pads or cushions between the neck’s bones. There are six spinal discs in the neck (cervical discs). The only segment in the neck that does not have a spinal disc separating it is the C1 (first cervical or neck segment) and the second cervical segment (C2). Each cervical disc is named by attaching or corresponding segment. For example, the disc attached to the 5th and 6th bones on the neck is marked as the C5-C6 discs. Cervical discs provide several essential functions:

  • Supporting the weight of the head and neck
  • Provides shock absorbance
  • Connect spinal bones by firmly attaching to them
  • Enables movements & flexibility
  • Forms anterior or frontal walls of neutral foramina (openings for exiting spinal nerves)

Joints Of The Neck Are Medical Known As Cervical Facet Joints

The Cervical spine is a collection of seven vertebrates that are connected through 3 types of joints:

  • Altanto-Occipital Joint: A pair of ellipsoid joints or condyloid synovial joints connect the first neck bone (C1 or Atlas) to the Occiput (base-of-the-skull). The Altanto-Occipital joint enables nodding through flexion & extension, slight lateral flexion (side-bending), and minimal twisting (rotation) of the head and neck.
  • Altanto-Axial Joint: The atlantoaxial joint (the joint between the first & second neck bones) is a pivot joint enabling rotational head movements when the first neck bones (atlas or C1 rotates around the C2 segment as it sits on the C1 vertebra.
  • Facet Joints: Cervical facets are joints formed or facets of the neck bones (vertebrae). These joints are synovial joints in which their surfaces are coated with cartilage, allowing for smooth gliding movements.

How Do Spinal Discs & Joints Get Damaged?

Increased stress on the C5-C6 motion segment can lead to painful and symptomatic spinal disc or spinal joints issues. joint and spinal disc issues arise from excessive loadbearing activities, poor posture, or injuries resulting in inflamed joints or spinal discs. Repeated or continued stress on the C5-C6 motion segment is a leading cause of spinal disc degeneration, degeneration of facet joints, and facet arthropathy.

Cervical arthropathy and facet syndrome are often present with a disc bulge or herniation. Cervical spondylosis is a relatively common team for cervical arthropathy in the presence of a disc bulge, protrusion, or a C5-C6 disc herniation.

A bulging or herniated C5-C6 spinal disc can have far-reaching consequences, causing pain symptoms, paresthesia (numbness & tingling), weakness, and paralysis from the lower neck down to the toes! In addition, C5-C6 may also cause aches and pains in the upper neck and even be a contributing factor in headaches (according to a published report in the British Journal of Medial Probationers).

C5-C6 motion segment is the leading cause of neck pain that runs into the shoulder, upper back, and arm. For lasting relief, you need holistic treatments that target the root causes of issues, including bulging, herniated, spondylosis, or bone spurs at the C4-C5, C5-C6 & C6-C7; contact CSC today for the ultimate non-surgical solutions for neck pain including to slipped discs, arthritis, and canal stenosis.

Avoid C5-C6 Surgery & Spinal Injections For Damaged Or Torn Joints & Disc

The C5-C6 spinal disc and spinal joints (facet joints) are the most mobile neck joints, and all that mobility can cause them to wear out prematurely. C5-C6 slipped discs, facet syndrome, degeneration, and information is avoidable, treatable, and to a certain extent reversible without steroid injections or surgery.

Steroid injections can permanently damage the cervical facet cartilage, facet joints, and fact ligaments. Moreover, it can lead to rapid bone loss in vertebrae, and degenerative changes in neck muscles, ligaments, and spinal discs. The authors of a published study in the journal of Radiology studied and reported their findings on corticosteroid injections in muscles, ligaments, cartilage, joints, and bones found irreparable damage, including bone death and osteoporosis as a result of steroid injections.

Surgical interventions are not always needed. Advanced clinical methods of physiotherapy that target the C5-C6 motion segments through therapy devices and manual procedures combined with C5-C6 Activator methods of chiropractic treatments can help you avoid spine surgery in most instances. Cleveland clinic and Myo-clinic spine surgery should also be the last option.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with C5-C6 neck pain or disorders, contact us for holistic natural treatments from our award-winning chiropractors and physiotherapist.

To help you understand better, we will provide some basic information about the neck’s spinal discs and spinal joints.

Top 10 Common Spine Surgery Recommended For C5-C6 Motion Segment

  1. C5-C6 cervical facet RFA or rhizotomy: C5-C6 RFA or rhizotomy for the cervical spine is a procedure where the nerves near and around the spinal joints are killed to prevent them from sending pain signals, a useless strategy that will worsen the C5-C6 by destabilizing the neck.
  1. C5-C6 cervical nucleoplasty with or without IDET: Cervical nucleoplasty, also called the percutaneous cervical nucleoplasty, is a surgical intervention that damages and kills the spinal disc by bombarding the spinal disc with radiofrequency waves to heat it in hopes of cocking it to death. A double-blind study found no difference between a fake nucleoplasty and an actual nucleoplasty spine surgery.
  2. C5-C6 cervical foraminotomy: An endoscopic surgical process on C5-C6 where the surgeons shave off some bones, ligaments, and spinal discs to make more room for the spinal nerve.
  3. Posterior C5-C6 cervical discectomy: An endoscopic procedure where a portion of the C5-C6 disc is cut and removed. 
  4. Cervical laminoplasty C5-C6 motion segment:  Partial laminectomy where a part or whole of one lamina is removed on 2-4 motion segments. C5-C6 laminoplasty may also involve the C4-C5 & C6-C7. 
  5. C5-C6 Cervical laminectomy with fusion: A major surgical intervention reserved for multi-segmental disorders of 2 or more segments. A C5-C6 laminectomy with fusion is when the surgeon removes both laminae of C5 and C6 and then fuses the C5 to C6. 
  6. C5-C6 cervical discectomy with fusion: Also called the anterior C5-C6 cervical discectomy with fusion, a process where the surgeon removes the C5-C6 spinal discs and fuses the C5-C6 with surgical hardware (screws and plates)
  7. Cervical laminectomy of C5-C6: This is the type of neck surgery where the lamina on both sides of the spinal bone is removed to provide the spinal cord with more room. 
  8. Anterior C5-C6 cervical corpectomy: A C5-C6 cervical corpectomy involves the removal of the spinal disc and the vertebral body. 
  9. C5-C6 cervical disc replacement: Artificial disc replacement surgery is a major spine surgery needing hospitalization and lengthy recovery time. It is a process where the surgeon replaces the C5-C6 spinal disc with an artificial spinal disc.

What Are Your Non-Surgical Solutions For C5-C6 Neck Pain

If you are looking for an efficient and safe method of C5-C6 treatment for neck pain caused by ligaments, muscles, joints, slipped discs, or arthritis, we can help. Chiropractic Specialty Center® has been treating patients for mild and even disabling C5-C6 slipped discs and joint issues successfully for over 15-years. Our experienced clinical teams, knowledge, and advanced therapy devices can help repair and reverse damaged tissues in the neck without injections or surgery. Contact the CSC center today and get your C5-C6 treated by our award-winning team of chiropractors and physiotherapists in Malaysia.

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