Neck Disc Bulge/Herniation Rehab Exercises

Today’s video covers rehab exercises that can be done at home to help heal a disc bulge in the neck or cervical region.

The neck or cervical spine includes seven vertebrae that are separated by six fibrocartilaginous intervertebral discs. The discs act as shock absorbers and also function as passive stabilizers of the spinal motion segment (2 vertebrae and the disc between them).

A cervical disc herniation describes a situation where the inside of the disc (nucleus pulposus) ruptures through the outer wall of the disc. In some of these situations, neck and radiating arm pain, numbness, tingling and weakness can result.

It’s also extremely important to know that disc ‘injuries’ are often observed in asymptomatic (no pain) individuals and do not necessarily say much about whether someone will experience pain in the future. Also, disc herniations can get better with conservative care, so make sure to try rehab before jumping into surgery.

With all of that being said, I have several exercises demonstrated here that often help reduce pain and improve function in people with neck pain that is thought to be associated with a disc herniation. These types of exercises were shown to be effective in a case series cited below, but it’s important to note that they also used traction and manual therapy.

1. Thoracic Mobilization
2. Angels
3. Median Nerve Mobilization
4. Chin Tucks

Reference: Cleland J, et al. Manual Physical Therapy, Cervical Traction, and Strengthening Exercises in Patients With Cervical Radiculopathy: A Case Series. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2005.

[myflourishingfam]

Thank you so much for the encouragement at the beginning of this. It can cause a lot of anxiety and sometimes feels hopeless.

[MisterOpera]

I realize it's not a reasonable expectation for everyone, but thanks to your video I went from experiencing mostly pain to just feeling pretty normal. I went for a walk and my arms were swinging all by themselves!

The nerve flossing move seems to be what did it. Took me from like a 6 to a 1, in 1 minute or so. Thank you so much.

[imendoza]

The 3rd exercise gave me so much relief. I've had chronic neck pain since last year and just finished my physical therapy. I was looking for more exercises to switch it up and I'm so happy I found your video.

[andrewphilip]

2:37 Thorasic mobilisation on foam roller
3:50 foam roller angels
7:35 lying gravity assisted chin tucks

[Catpanl]

This is great. So many of our pains can be fixed with simple exercises. Our sedentary lifestyle seems comfortable but it slowly etches away at our bodies only to be noticed after years of silent deterioration.

[selenabone]

So grateful for this video. I will start these exercises asap. I have a herniated disk in my neck which is somewhat started to push in my spinal cord. I dont want surgery which will be my last option. I have no neck pain, just shoulder pain. Thank you for making this video and you're a great instructor which made it easy to understand. I hope this will help push back my vertabre so at least its not pinching on the cord. I have that roller also in my closet which I never use. Now I'll put it to good use. 😊

[saulbreten]

Just a warning, the exercise that involves rolling on the foam cylinder is exactly how I slipped a disc in my neck while trying to crack my back, strongly recommend avoiding that one as it has caused me a great deal of pain and is the reason I’m still watching these videos and looking for new ways to cope months later

[maryjenkins]

Thanks for this video. I was told surgery for my ruptured disc was the only opinion because it's pressing on my spine. Thanks for this research information. Keep doing God's work 🙏.

[stephaniegutierrez]

Wow. I seriously appreciate the very beginning of this video. Thank you so much for bringing that up because my anxiety about possibly being stuck with this pain, even though it has gotten better since December, and the fear that it might come back full force painful again stops me in my tracks and has set me in a spiral of panic multiple times in the last three months. I’ve been dealing with the upper neck pain ended up going into extremely tense upper traps and then pain around my rib cage not sure if that’s just due from muscle tension and or nerve pinching but I’ve been doing this since late November and only just found out this week it was a bulged disc because my doctor wouldn’t put in for an MRI. Anyway I’m trying to get past all of that and get on with healing is there anything I should not do while having a bulged C6 and C7 disc? I have not seen the spine doc yet and I won’t for at least another week so I just don’t wanna do anything to further irritate my neck can you give me any advice?

[CodeUnknownTV]

The one at 6 minute mark helped me tremendously with a migraine from trapped nerves in C6-C7

[eunicepagaduan]

Thank you so much. I really need your message at the beginning.

[renee]

Thank you so much for making this video. I have 2 herniated disc in my neck and I've been in pain for weeks (seeing a chiropractor, with minimal success)
I just simply did these exercises while watching for my 1st time without the roller(which I will buy) and these exercises reduced my neck and shoulder pain from an 8 to a 6. I will continue to do them. I modified the snow angel by standing straight against my wall and the double chin, well it hurt too much without the roller so I did it against the wall too. But then ended up doing a turkey thing with my neck lol which actually felt good bc I felt the muscles pulling in my shoulders and upper part of spine. Waking them up, I suppose.
I have had two major lower back surgeries, which I now have a plate at L4 and L5 & they want to replace it with a rod again, but this time a 9" rod instead of the 5" from the 1st surgery. Doctors said I'd have to live on pain meds & never be able to work again bc I ended up with arachniditis. But after 2yrs of meditation and a strong will, I've been medication free for a couple years and I work over 80hrs a week, on my feet! So not all surgeons know, hence why they're called "practicing physicians" 😂 The neck is a new pain for me, so I will fix this without another surgery. Thank you again for making this video.

[anisoacitripa]

Just knowing that I might heal makes me feel more relax. I was so worried and frustrated

[artsluckycards]

thx brotha gonna try these, but my neck feels better just watching exercises

[wukaili]

super man. immediate relief. i will keep going. if you have any more on C5/C6 or a link to a previous video please let me know!

[HaDealio]

Thank you for making this video! I appreciate it more than u know! U have eased my worries so much! Everything will be ok

[juryrecitalmay]

This is really helpful especially the flossing, because I’ve seen neck flossing, had it demonstrated to me by a pt for my cervical disc…

[GregRosolowski]

Wow, the exercise at 6:30 almost feels like a magic trick for me. I don't think I have a disc issue, at least not severe, but I do get a tense area at the base of the neck and shoulder. This gave an incredible amount of relief for such a low effort exercise.

[tahangineiss]

The last exercise is super painful😢 but i will keep trying, i have hopes up that might help, i have pain tingles and numbness around my arm and sometimes goes down to my leg and only on my left side, haven’t been able to relieve this pain, hopefully this video will be much of a help. Thank you

[marianthemartian]

I have lower back mild disc buldge that gives me so much pain and limit my activities. So I had my 2nd MRI for recheck, this time whole spine. Surprisingly I have a lot of disc buldge on my cervical/upper spine! I was so stressful after my ff check up with my doctor. But in the start of the video gave me somehow a relief by you reassuring us that it'll be okay. Thank you! I'm not sure though if the exercise is applicable to me.