Tingling in the fingers, foot, face

The tingling in the fingers is very common in a cervical herniated disc. Due to the narrowing of the nerve, the arms can no longer be innervated properly. They fall asleep quickly at night and there is a tingling sensation in certain holding positions.

If the tingling sensation becomes continuous, further therapy should be considered, since in the long run a complete nerve damage can occur. The facial muscles can also be affected. The patient usually feels a tingling sensation in the cheek area.

Since this tingling is generally perceived as very unpleasant and there is hardly any possibility to treat it independently, these patients often become very impatient and dissatisfied. In most cases, as mentioned above, only one more operation can help. If there is a severe herniated disc, a tingling sensation in the foot can also be felt. Then disc material has slipped into the spinal canal and interrupts the normal nerve conduction.

Operation

Surgery for a cervical herniated disc should only be performed if there is an absolute indication and all other possibilities of therapy have been exhausted. Since there is little space to the spinal canal in the cervical area, the surgery must be performed with absolute caution. Depending on where the herniated disc is located, there are 2 different procedures of the surgery.

1.) If the operation is performed from the side of the neck, the patient lies on his back and a cross-section is made at the height of the herniated disc. The surrounding neck muscles, arteries and veins are carefully pushed to the side and the pressed out disc material is carefully removed and replaced with a prosthesis or implant.

2.) In the other option, the patient lies on his stomach. Here too, a straight incision is made at the level of the affected vertebra.

This time, in addition to the intervertebral disc, vertebral arches of the adjacent vertebrae must also be removed. However, the stability of the cervical spine remains guaranteed. In general, there is a surgical risk with this operation, as with any other.

In addition to the generally possible infections, in the worst case it can lead to paraplegia, nerve damage or other diseases (stroke). Sport is generally also recommended in case of a slipped disc. The exercises in physiotherapy should be done as often as possible.

Strengthening the entire back musculature protects the patient in the long term from new herniated discs. Rehab sports and aqua gymnastics are also important. Here, various exercises are performed in groups under supervision and can be modified individually.

Especially when swimming, all movement sequences that are not possible in everyday life are facilitated. The buoyancy of the water makes it possible to lose all weight and provides sensitive stimulation, especially in the case of neurological deficits. Helpful exercises for home use can be found in the articles:

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