The spine is made up of the following:

• Vertebrae. These are bones stacked like building blocks that make up the spine. The neck contains the first 7 vertebrae of the spine.

• Disks. These are small pads of tissue that lie between the vertebrae. They help cushion and protect the vertebrae and allow your spine to move.

• The spinal cord. This is nervous tissue that runs through a large central opening (spinal canal) formed by the vertebrae.

• Nerves. These branch out from the spinal cord and carry messages to the body.

• Foramina. These are smaller openings on each side of in the vertebrae. Nerves travel to your arms and other parts of your body from the spinal cord through these openings.

One of the most common cervical spine problems is a damaged disk. A disk may be injured by a sudden movement, causing a disk to bulge or break open (herniate). Or a disk may wear out slowly over time (degenerate). A worn-out disk may become so flat that the vertebrae above and below it touch or slip back and forth. As disks wear out, abnormal bone growths (bone spurs) can form on the vertebrae. Bone spurs can also form in the foramina, causing them to narrow (stenosis) and press on the nerve root. If your healthcare provider thinks that you have a damaged disk, tests may be done to confirm the problem. These may include a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), flexion-extension X-ray films, or electromyography (EMG). Your healthcare provider will then work with you to plan treatment as needed.