Brenda Thornton
My first question would be to ask how you know you have a herniated cervical disk if you have not had an MRI. However, your symptoms are quite indicative of it. The only other possibilty would be that you might have a ruptured disk or a spur that it irritaing a nerve. I have arthritis in my neck and I sometimes had a little stiffness but I knew to be careful with the neck. An anesthesiologist hyperextended my neck in intubating me, after he was told not to do that, and herniated two discs in my neck. I have the pain you describe and periodically it really knocks me out with the numbness, dullness, pain, headache, neck and shoulder pain. The MRI could pinpoint if there is only a hermiated disk, ruptured disk, some other anomaly, or even a tumor which can sometimes mimic a disk. If you have insurance and a reasonable co-pay I would say have it done to pinpoint the cause for sure. Physical therapists may be able to give you a group of exercises to do to alleviate the symptoms and advice on how to avoid irritating it during your workouts.