In the course of a shoulder, the nerve root is compressed by a hernia of the nucleus pulposus or a bone growth (osteophyte). Moreover, the nerve root may become jammed in the narrowed intervertebral opening. The most common cause of the described structural changes is the degenerative disease of the spine resulting from bad habits (the position of the head tilted forward and forward). Less commonly, pressure can be caused by the mass of the cancerous tumor.

A typical symptom of shoulder pain is unilateral pain radiating from the nape of the neck to the upper limb (shoulder, elbow, forearm or fingers). Pain may be accompanied by sensory disturbances, numbness and weakness in the muscles of the shoulder girdle and / or upper limb. The severity of the pain usually depends on the current position of the cervical spine.

In most patients, adequate management is oral painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy and specialist spine rehabilitation. If necessary, the doctor performs a local injection of the spine with a steroid (cervical spine blockade). In the event of unsuccessful conservative treatment or aggravation of neurological deficits, a surgical procedure to decompress the compressed nerve structures is considered.

Sciatica manifests itself as severe pain in the back and one of the legs. Pain occurs in the lumbosacral spine and buttock, or it can radiate through the back of the thigh and calf to the foot.

One of the most common causes of sciatica is the prolapse of the nucleus pulposus outside the area of ​​the intervertebral disc (disc). The prolapse of the pulmonary nucleus occurs most often when lifting heavy objects or other activities that overload the lumbar spine. Sciatica is usually the result of many years of progression of degenerative changes in the spine.

The diagnosis of sciatica includes: an interview, neurological examination, examination of the range of spine mobility, functional examination, examination of the variability of pain symptoms depending on the body position and analysis of imaging tests (MRI, X-ray or computed tomography).

In the first place, rehabilitation and pharmacological treatment are used as an auxiliary. If conservative treatment is unsuccessful, surgical treatment is undertaken, e.g. microdiscectomy, i.e. excision of the nucleus pulposus that compresses the nerve root.