What Are the Treatments for a Dehydrated Disk in the Neck?

A dehydrated disk in the neck can lead to symptoms including neck pain and muscle weakness and pain in your arms. Your doctor can offer you treatment depending on the problems the disk is causing.

Disks in the Neck

• The intervertebral disks in your neck act as cushions between your vertebrae and help to give your neck some of its flexibility.

Dehydrated Disk

• The disks in your neck have high water content when you are young. As you age, the disks gradually dehydrate due to time, pressure placed on the disks and risk factors like smoking cigarettes.

Non-invasive Treatments

• Non-invasive treatments for a dehydrated disk in your neck include anti-inflammatory medication and traction to relieve pain and pressure on the disk.

Surgical Treatments

• If conservative treatments do not help, then surgery is available to treat disk problems in the neck. Your surgeon can remove the dehydrated disk and fuse the vertebrae it cushioned.

Considerations

• If your dehydrated disk has become a herniated disk, you should know that 95 percent of patients recover without needing surgery.